For multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer Tajdar Junaid, nothing comes closer to home than living in the moment. A master over a range of instruments, the artiste says at the heart of his music is simplicity. “I try not to intellectualise the premise of my music. The more I try to edit it, the more I lose control of it. I try and look for a voice which guides me to the next chord or note when I work on a song. I try not to analyse or see the good or bad in it. The idea is to have fun and give myself into that moment.”
Speaking about the title of his 2013 award-winning debut album What Colour Is Your Raindrop , Tajdar says it was his way of asking the listener what their story is. “These are my stories — 10 songs from the album — and each has a story from my life behind it. So I’m asking my listeners what colour is their story.” So, can we expect more stories from him? He confirms: “I’ve already started working on my next album. I don’t know when it will be ready. I believe in letting time take its toll so it will happen on its own. There is no rush.”
Hailing from Kolkata and dabbling in a range of instruments and genres, Tajdar recalls that his musical journey began when he was in his early teens. “I started playing the guitar in high school. I also used to videotape concerts and listen to them over and over again. MTV used to come for about an hour on national television back then and cousins brought tapes from abroad. There’s also this street in Kolkata called Free School Street that had plenty of record stores and music shops. I used to compile my song lists and they would record and give them to me. That’s where it all started.”
So where is music taking the 34-year-old? Tajdar says he wants to collaborate more. “My music is in the international circuit and I am keen on exploring the scene. I’m also learning new instruments, including a new one from Argentina called the Ronroco.” Hoping his listeners walk out after each show humming his tunes, Tajdar shares an message to aspiring musicians : “Believe in yourself. There is nothing bigger than that. Do what makes you happy and moves you. That’s your biggest achievement. Also, find your own voice. That’s what the journey is about.”
