He started learning music at the age of five and has charted a succesful career in music, always believing in the “slow and steady wins the race” philosophy. Recently, he has been making everyone match steps to his rendition of Srivalli, the mega-hit from the Allu Arjun-starrer blockbuster Pushpa: The Rise, with 335 million views. That’s singer Javed Ali for you, who loves Kolkata and its biryani to bits. The singer who was recently in the city to perform at Silver Oak Premier League 2022 Live Cricket organised by Shankha Mitra and Kasturi Mitra, managed by Green Entertainment Production, chatted with The Telegraph on breaking stereotypes, always pushing the envelope, staying updated and more. Excerpts.
Welcome to Kolkata! What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you know you have a gig in Kolkata?
That the city has people who love and understand music. Kisi ke ghar mein kuch ho na ho, ek instrument zaroor hoga. Kitne mahan mahan artiste hai yahan. Another thing I look forward to is people showering me with lots of love.
Kolkata is almost home to me. I always get excited to come here and I think it’s true for any artiste, the feeling is the same. West Bengal mein perform karne mein mazaa kuch aur hi hai.
So, can we say Kolkata feels like home? Is there any must-do thing here?
Yes! I love eating biryani from Arsalan! I also parcel and take it home, even their chaanp is delicious! Everyone loves it. The sandesh is fantastic too, so is mishti doi, I have tasted but I don’t have much for my voice. Main thoda nakhrila banda hoon, sab kuch khana chahiye but I feel if I have this or everything gala kharab ho jayega. It’s psychological.
I didn’t copy the south India style of the original song, I designed the song in my own way, breaking away from the routine songs I had done till then. I tried trendy, husky, bold... going well with the rowdy character of Pushpa — Javed Ali about his rendition of Srivalli
Let’s talk about your mega hit Srivalli. Tell us how did the song happen?
Jaise daane daane pe likha hai khanewale ka naam, waise hi gaane gaane pe likha hai gaanewale ka naam (smiles)! I was going to Chennai, Ilaiyaraaja sir ke liye recording ke liye. This was the first time I was getting this opportunity. I got a call from Uttam Singhji and he said after three-four days I had got a chance to sing for Ilaiyaraaja sir and I was on cloud nine. Then I got a call from DSP (Devi Sri Prasad, the music director of Pushpa). And I was getting an opportunity to sing a Hindi song, I had sung for them before but not a Hindi song. But I told them that I had come for Ilaiyaraaja sir, and I want to sing for him first as I wanted to have this fresh voice... he said okay. So I checked-in at the hotel and waited to get a call for him but no call came from Raaja sir, this was because later we got to know the track wasn’t complete.
Then DSP sir called the next day and I told him that I still haven’t sung for Raaja sir. But then he said that there is an urgency and if I could come and dub for Srivalli but also said if Raaja sir calls I could leave the track midway, that was a big thing! So I went, heard the song and was mind-blown! I gave my all to this song and sang and in two-two-and-a-half hours the track was done, we tried combinations with Sridevi instead of Srivalli but it wasn’t sounding nice.
I didn’t copy the south India style of the original song, I designed the song in my own way, breaking away from the routine songs I had done till then. I tried trendy, husky, bold… going well with the rowdy character of Pushpa (Allu Arjun).
Later, Ilaiyaraaja also called and I recorded with him too! After coming back home everyone asked, ‘How did the recordings go?’. I remember telling them it went great but it was the Srivalli song that struck a chord. Kuch baat tha iss mein!
Coming back to the success, everyone said my voice is sounding very fresh in this song and that’s a big compliment! The success of the song has surpassed my expectations.
How has life changed after this song?
Life pehle bhi acchhi thi. I have no regrets and I already had hits but when an artiste gets to take a step forward in his career it is when the fun begins! This song has helped me take that step. I have sang so many songs for Pritam da, he has a huge role in my life, but with this song it’s like maine speed breaker break kar diya. That’s a great feeling for me.
Do you consider this track to be the turning point in your career?
In my life I have had many turning points. In 2007, I had Ek din (teri raahon mein) song, Pritam da ka! It was a first turning point. Then Jashn-e-bahaaraa came, and from then it was a different and grand turning point. I got to work with (A.R.) Rahman sir, it’s huge! See main kabhi fast nahi bhaaga… mujhe aisi dua bhi mili hai ki main kachhua ki chaal chalta rahoonga. And I feel slow and steady wins the race (laughs). I want to continue doing good tracks, slow and easy. I don’t want to be a one-time wonder, which has been the case for many.
I have won Screen awards, IIFA awards then, Kun faya kun came… Tum tak! I feel my voice hasn’t been overused in the industry, and is liye main aaj bhi fresh hoon (laughs out loud).
How do you choose your projects?
The most important thing in a song is lyrics! Then composition; it shows you the way, what should be the mood. That’s how you get to know what would be the feel of the song.
Music kept everyone going even during the lockdown phase in 2020.... How did you cope with that phase?
No one knew what this was and till when this will last! We would wait for good news, but aisa kuch tha nahi. Music was the therapy and medicine that kept us alive, including me. I used to pray, spend most of my time with music and that was great. I didn’t have a recording setup at home then, so I used to record on my phone. I have recorded around 15-20 songs during that time. I used to feel I am occupied and I am working. Aur baki Allah ka dua hai.
Independent music was a trend at that time....
Yes of course! That time many of us composed tracks that once it’s over we will record later. I had done this track for a Telugu movie called Uppena... and in two months I think it got some 100 million views I think.This was during lockdown and yeh film bhi 100 crore k upar gayio thi. This gave a positive vibe that one of my tracks was a huge hit! Then another song Labb par aaye from Bandish Bandits was my first on an OTT platform. That track was used in reels so many times!
Are you now open to singing more songs for the OTT platform if you get a chance?
Yes yes, totally.
You come from a musical background. Did you take up music because of your father (Ustad Hamid Hussain)?
Bilkul! It was somewhere there in my genes. My family was in music. We are three brothers and one sister, but mere andar woh music ka keeda tha (laughs). I started learning at the age of five and even now am learning.
Your son is four-and-a-half. Does he have the singing knack too?
He is too young, but I would wish he pursues music. I feel he too has it in his genes, he is in sur and tempo. But it’s too young to say (smiles).
You are blessed with a very soulful voice and your hits mostly are soft romantic tracks. Is there any genre that you would want to try?
Srivalli was a very different song for me. Then a song from Gunday, Jashn-e-ishqa, that was a different type.
I always try to make each song sound new and different musically. I know technology has advanced, besura sur mein ho sakta hai, betala taal mein ho sakta hai, but I always think if I get a song that is challenging I’ll sing and try to do it in a way I have not done before. Challenge mein mazaa aata hai.
When I sang Kun faya kun, Arziyan, I feel many tagged me as a Sufi singer. I wanted to break that tag and, with Srivalli, I have done that.
In 14 years of your career a lot has changed in the music industry. What do you think is the key to success now? You did mention with technology anyone can become a singer....
Style of singing, composition, lyrics have changed, arrangement style has changed. Previously tracks that used to be five to six minutes are now three-and-a-half minutes. Pehle the ’90s singers, I feel, used to sing in a basic style format, but now one has to bring various modulations, extra emotions — like one has to use grunge and someone has to make it husky or use falsetto. Music has become trendy and if you want to survive you have to keep up with it. Like in the Srivalli song… (starts singing Srivalli song with voice modulations). If you sing the song in a plain way one wouldn’t be interested.
Javed Ali’s favourite singers among his contemporaries include Arijit Singh (top) and Sonu Nigam
Which singers in your generation do you think are adding value to the music industry?
Arijit (Singh) mujhe bahut pasand hai. He doesn’t stick to one genre, he can do variations and he is very talented! That’s why I like him so much. He doesn’t need Auto-Tune. Then Sonu (Nigam) bhai is also so versatile!
What is the biggest compliment you have got?
Shankar Mahadevanji had said that the industry had three to four singers who can sing any track and he had taken my name and it remains as the most precious compliment to me. There was a song in D-Day, a qawwali track which was difficult but I had sung it in an hour and it was then he had said this.
Composers Javed Ali has worked with include (Clockwise from top left) Pritam, A.R. Rahman, Shankar Mahadevan and Amit Trivedi
Having worked with so many music composers, what are the things you have learnt from the following composers — Pritam, A.R. Rahman, Shankar Mahadevan, Amit Trivedi?
Pritam’s compositions always suit my voice and bahut sur-o mein gaana banate hai. From Bajrangi Bhaijan, Ek din (teri raahon mein)... there was a certain pattern in which my voice fitted.
From Rahman sir I learnt how to dub and do voice modulation. Ek naya style develop huya unke saath se jo puri duniya main phyel gaya and mere liye ek typecast ho gaya woh hai Sufi style. Post Kun faya kun everyone started thinking I only sing Sufi songs, but I like being versatile.
Then Amit Trivedi is a great composer! He is a different kind of a composer and I have learnt a lot from him too.
Shankar-ji always gives examples as he shows you how one should sing and my grasping power is great, so I pick up fast!
Which actor would you say suits your voice best?
Everyone! Salman bhai, Shah Rukhji... but I would say Hrithik Roshan and Varun Dhawan too. Ajay Devgn, then I have sung for Rajnikanthji many times. Then I have sang for Abhishek Bachchan, Dharamji....