Doha: Making music takes a lot of dedication. However, making music while maintaining a regular day job requires more time, effort, and commitment, especially as an expatriate.
Music has always been a calling for Sri Lankan expatriate Shafraz, who started working at 17. The success of his 2007 ‘Train Song’, which featured Sri Lankan singer Samitha Mudunkotuwa, brought him some popularity — he’s still remembered for that song today.
“Until today, people call me the ‘Train Song’ Shafraz. We started our musical journey without social media as a platform to market our songs. I’ve even had my songs in cassettes, and then it transformed to CDs and stuff. My generation came through the press, television, and radio. So, it was tough. I used to stand in front of those channels, like the TV and the radio, till someone came out.
“When the train song became a hit, it was in every chart, every channel. I used to perform in concerts, sometimes like three concerts a day. It was amazing, and it’s a nice feeling, you know when people accept you for something good. I always believed that if I intended to become popular, there were many ways. I always have certain policies in my mind. I make sure I do not sell indecency to become popular,” Shafraz said.
After relocating to Qatar, he quit music for a while due to low income and the political turmoil, but his wife Mahdiya encouraged him to pick up the strings and microphone. Though he remained sceptical about making music again, Shafraz trusted in the quality of his songs and the ability to connect with people.
“I never thought I’d make music again,” Shafraz said. “The place that I work for, have given me total freedom to make my music. They always motivate me. When I release something, the entire office waits and looks forward because you know all that is a good thing.
“My biggest strength is my wife. She is the reason behind me making music again. She kept pushing and motivating me. If not, I don’t think I would have started the music again. My other thing was that I am much older than when people first recognised me, so I was scared that this generation may not accept me. But surprisingly, it was not what I thought. Again, I think it’s the product itself that reaches people. If it sounds good, if they like it, they will accept me. If they had not accepted me if I had not got any response, I’d rather sing in the toilet and keep quiet,” he added.
Now making music from his home, the corporate executive, who blends RnB, hip hop and pop, first toyed around with some Tamil and Hindi covers with a Doha-based Sri Lankan studio, ‘WhiteRock Studios,’ including ‘Vaalkai Poriley’ shot in Doha and features popular South Indian star, Shweta Mohan. He then transitioned to making his original songs in Sinhala. Shafraz also has a special song for his wife titled ‘En Thozhi,’ another upbeat track, ‘Bande Ketu Tattoo,’ and Rajina Obai – shot in Doha and highlights the importance of women in society.
On the music scene in Qatar, Shafraz notes that there has been a bit of a change from ten years back to now. Many studios have opened up, but the market is still young.
“The population here is very low. As an artist, you have to cater to another place, either for your home country, because Qatar is not known musically. So let’s hope someday it might change. Five years, ten years from now, you never know.”
He added that the cost of making music, from video shoots to studio time, discourages young talent who should be encouraged wherever they are discovered. He said that support is not limited to finances, but people should be given the platform to make music.
Shafraz has all his songs on YouTube and promises many pieces to come.
