Touching gold
Aamra Surjomukhi to celebrate Shaheen Samad's musical journey
Noted Nazrul singer Shaheen Samad has touched the milestone of 50 years of her singing career this year. To celebrate the achievement of the noted singer and to congratulate her, cultural organisation Aamra Surjomukhi is organising a programme at Poet Sufia Kamal Auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum at 6pm tomorrow (April 18). A list of distinguished guests including Dr. Gowhar Rizvi, Foreign Affairs Advisor to the Prime Minister, will attend the event.
About her singing career, Shaheen Samad said, “I began singing at the age of 12. It was mostly radio and television then. I used to listen to the top Nazrul singers of that era. There was Laila Arzumand Banu, Feroza apa, Ferdousi apa and many others. All of them inspired me. The variety of songs and the magic of their voices helped me learn a lot of things. In addition, I took inspiration from my guru Ostad Mohammad Hossain and Fazlul Haq.”
Asked about the present scenario of Nazrul Sangeet, she said, “The practice of Nazrul Sangeet has vastly expanded, and it is gradually becoming richer. Many singers, with outstanding voice and singing prowess, are coming out. Organisations like Nazrul Institute and Chhyanaut are working hard to enrich Nazrul Sangeet and nurturing the new generation.
“But I think there's a lack of proper devotion and practice in many of them. This happened because of the pressure of media, as the young generation want to be popular quickly instead of working really hard. We are committed to music without even thinking about name and fame. Fame follows excellence,” she added.
About the developments she went through as a singer, Shaheen Samad said, “I am still learning. Music feeds my soul, and my life is one with the tunes. It taught me to love, to pray and to inspire people. Everything around us has its own tune; I find melodies in nature, in universe and in the people around me.”
The singer will perform tomorrow at the programme. She will present four songs of 1971, a few mira bhajan and Kabbogeeti by Nazrul, songs of DL Roy, Atul Prasad and Rajanikanta Sen, songs from the golden days and more.