There's a murmur in the air — rows of windmills face the calm sea, and swirl gently as if on cue, and young Najim Arshad appears on the screen singing Idhaya Nila Aenguthadi ….Paarkum Podhu Nenjam Vimmuthadi . The song, shot on the beaches of Trivandrum and Nagercoil, for his debut album “I'm Here”, is a visual treat. His butter-smooth voice adds to the magic.
Abhinand H Kumar has directed the promotional video, shot by Rajesh Anjum Murthy. More than 6,000 people have viewed it on YouTube, 2,000 have liked and shared it, and the number is growing. Najim, 25, winner of the first edition of Idea Star Singer on Asianet, is elated. “The feedback has been encouraging,” he says.
The album is by his company, Jim Media Creations, and the music by his brother Haarith Shahzad. “After I won the title, many asked me to come up with an album. My brother, a sound engineer and music composer, already had a bank of hundreds of compositions. A group of friends got together. The result is I'm Here”. The album, to be released in May, has five songs in Malayalam, Hindi and Tamil. G. Kumaresan has written the Tamil lyrics. Najeem hums the Hindi version — “Ek haseena…” — and says: “The album is about love and longing. We wanted the lyrics to be simple so that every one can relate to it.” “I'm Here” is an attempt to bring freshness to the music album scene, he says. “We want to present good music which is also visually appealing. The promo is proof of that.”
Life has been on the fast track for Najim after he won the show five years ago. He has been doing shows across the country and in the U.S., U.K. and West Asia, and singing for Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi and Marathi films. “It was a launch pad, a good platform to get noticed. But, one shouldn't be carried away by the instant fame. Hard work, talent and versatility are important,” he tells aspiring singers.
Recalling the ghazal round in the contest, where he floored all with his brilliant rendering of Ghulam Ali's Tamam Umr Tera Intezaar… , he says it was a special moment in his life. Najim has sung in “Mission 90 Days”, “Doctor Love” and “Casanova”.
However, his ghazal Sawalon ki godh main in “Kafiron Ki Namaz” is special. “It was supposed to be sung by Hariharan. When I got the opportunity, it was like winning an award. Music director Advait Nemlekar was appreciative of my singing, style and accent, in itself a big reward.”
He is also excited about the duet Thottu Thottu composed by Vidyasagar for Lal Jose's “Diamond Necklace”.
Varied influences
Najim is trained in Carnatic music (he has an M.A. in music from Trivandrum Music College), and is also influenced by other styles. “I listen to Classical, Western, and Hindustani, the ghazals of Ghulam Ali, Mehdi Hassan and Hariharan, and popular film songs too. Most songs today have a Western influence. I'm a huge fan of A.R. Rahman.”
In the future, Najim wants to sing for all popular music directors. “Right from when I was in Class II, I was drawn towards music. Though everyone in my family is musically inclined, only I pursued it. Music is my passion and profession.”
During the reality show, the ever-smiling Najim won many hearts with his humble behaviour. He gives all credit to his parents. “Even today, my father, who works with the Vigilance Administrative Office, cycles to office,” he smiles.
Watch the video at >http://www.metromatinee.com/iamhere/
