Latest kailash Kher interview 2011

• KAILASH KHER: I was born to a very simple sweet family at Meerut and later on we moved to Delhi. I would call it simple family because here too just like most of the families, the basic aim of parents was to see us receive education; find ourselves a good job so to settle down later. The usual office to home, home to office thing! When my family was talking about 9 to 5 jobs, I was developing a special relationship with music.
  However at the same time my earliest exposure to music happened through my father. My father, a simple man,
  Pandit ji, use to sing on, “ektara” amongst his circle of people; “paach baras ki meera ladali, sakiyon mein khelan jai re sun rana bai”. I was 5-6 years old then. But I use to get fascinated by this style of singing and presentation. When we would wait for our weekly doze of “Chitrahaar”, there also I would search for the songs somewhat similar to the above style of singing.
  Childhood is a vulnerable time and I feel blessed that I developed an attraction towards these expressions of life. A totally different world was opening up for me. I would call it as a very revolutionary phase of my life.

• SC: DID YOU RECEIVE ANY FORMAL TRAINING IN SINGING?

• KK: As I was discovering my affinity towards singing, the next step was to find somebody who could help me with my singing. But in 13- 14 years I almost changed 10 different gurus, so could say that I did not receive any formal rigorous training under tutelage of any one person.

• SC: SO WHAT WAS NEXT ON YOUR MIND?

• KK: Well I dabbled in different professions while still learning music, so to say. I got involved in export business run by a relative, did something here and there but soon realized this was not all I wanted to be or do.
  It was then my elder brother, now a lawyer, suggested me to go to Mumbai and try my luck in Bollywood. The next thing, I was off to Mumbai. One day, opportunity knocked and I got my first assignment – a jingle for Nakshatra diamonds. Then came the song that made people notice my voice, it was as we all know, Allah ke bande from Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part-II. Initially I did not have my hopes set on a song in a small budget film. After this everything just started to fall in place.

• SC: TELL US ABOUT YOUR RIYAAZ, ANY REGIME YOU FOLLOW?

• KK: If we go by the definition completely, then I don’t. I do not have any particular regime where I practice for hours together. There is a regime in terms of studio rehearsals, while composing or during live shows. Most of my time is spent in singing so that is how it is for me. Here I do not mean to underestimate the importance of riyaaz but I do not have a set regime so to speak.

• SC: WHAT IS KAILASH’S DEFINITION OF MUSIC?

• KK: I cannot define music in words because it is difficult to do so. Whatever I am going to say will come from the programmed CD of my mind. I feel that around me too different mind softwares are at work. Some are programmed to say this, others that. Music is forever, Sashawat toh sashwat rahega, whether I say so or not. It does not matter.
  People ask me that you sing sufi or you are a sufi singer, I would like to talk about this current rage of Sufi singing or Sufi singers.
  Sufi’ as a word these days has become more of a fashion statement, a brand, a marketable commodity. It has suddenly become a trend; anything that sells becomes a brand. There are people who write thesis about Sufism yet they do not know what it means.
“I think Sufism is a very mystical legacy, a different name given to the same truth which has been talked about abundantly in our country and across the world by various seers. “ It is not a label, commodity or a genre but has most to do with love, and blissful living. And I do not think love has any one particular language! Preet ki latt mohe aisi lagi, ho gayi mein deewani, gayo bajayo apne piya sangh, meh to jayoon wari wari. Here it is described as latt, not like smoking or something but to dwell in an innocent environment of surrender.

• SC: WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

• KK: The whole life in itself is one big inspiration. Nature is inspiring, it shares so much with us, everyday. And even if we see our own body, it is full of wonders; heart is beating on its own, sharir mein koi jadhugaar jaan phukta ja raha hai and so much more. When I look around, I wonder there are limitless colours, every face is different from the other. Those who have derived words and languages have limited the awe. They say there are seven colours, ten directions, seven skies but I feel prabhu tere to rang he anant hai, he is limitless. The journey we take is full of wonders, concealing various secrets and experiences. As they open up the revelation becomes our inspiration.

• SC: HOW ABOUT ONE DAY YOU GET UP AND PEOPLE FAIL TO RECOGNIZE YOU. THEY TOTALLY FORGET THAT THERE IS KAILASH KHER- THE SINGING SENSATION, WHAT WILL BE YOUR REACTION THEN?

• KK: Honestly speaking, it will not affect me that people fail to recognize me or my singing. I know that I am born to sing. I will continue to sing because this is my foremost passion. I think I have gone through lot of challenges, hardships in life and then I have seen the best part of life too. Seeing both the sides, I think now it does not affect me. Singing connects me to everybody so I am sure that once I start to sing, there will be again heart to heart connect. And that is more important.

• SC: SO WHAT IS YOUR NEXT STEP?

• KK: Well, I do not plan ahead, just go with the flow. I want to be part of this journey, enjoying every moment of it. People ask me aap apne aap ko kahan dekhna chahte hain? They mean in my career. So I jokingly tell them, mein bus apne aap ko dharati per dekhna chahata hoon, data bus space mein matt basana. I want to do good music. As far as there is song on my lips and breath in my chest I want to savor it.

• SC: ANY MESSAGE OR SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THE READERS?

• KK: My only message is no message. Already there are so many messages floating around. Just enjoy the journey called life; never drift away from humane attributes and thank god for all the blessings.