Ali on the edge

Ali Zafar is not just a pretty face. Behind the dreamy, often dazed eyes and dimpled smile that has adorned many billboards (with many more to come) is a person who knows what he wants — and is willing to do just about everything to get things the way he likes them.

For this interview, he came dressed in a pair of faded blue jeans and a T-shirt, no grooming and no pretensions. What becomes immediately noticeable is that he appears to be extremely dazed and spaced out while conversing. He apologises and tends to say what is at the back of his mind. When we start talking again, his eyes develop a sharp focus and he transforms into a serious, focused person, quite unlike the light-headed, fun-loving guy we are used to watching on screen.

Ali has an uncanny ability to observe little details and has a knack for making insightful observations that appear ironic most of the time. He is also a lot smarter than he lets on.

The second album is always the trickiest, say the sages. More so if the first album has been successful. The second album determines whether the artiste in question is a one-hit wonder or the ‘real deal’. The second album also determines how an artiste has moved on from his/her debut. Questions such as ‘has the artiste experienced growth and if so, was it positive’ arise and it’s no wonder that most artistes complain of being under extraordinary pressure when working on their second set of songs.

For Ali, rising up to the success of his debut album will not be easy. He needs to control every aspect of it — from songwriting to production —leaving no margin for error. It has now been almost three years since Channo came on screen and launched Ali Zafar as the blue-eyed boy of Pakistan’s music industry. A vocal reincarnation of Kishore Kumar, not only can he sing well, he has good looks to spare. And he puts them to good use. While songs off his album scored one hit after another, Ali could be seen smiling down from larger-than-life billboards, endorsing everything from mobile phones to biscuits to telephonic connections. And why not? After all, an artiste has to eat.

After spending almost two years in the studios and running around the globe, Ali’s second album, Masty, is finally ready to be launched in the market. What is this album going to be like? “That’s always been the most difficult question for me to answer. How can you define an entire art form and tell what properties and characteristics make it different? It’s music. It’s something very abstract and difficult to define,” he says. “But the sound is going to be richer than before, there are going to be live instruments, it’s going to be bigger than before.

“I have spent a lot of time in the production. It has taken me about two-and-a-half years from songwriting to developing the melody to recording it to taking the files internationally and mixing the album in different studios around the world with foreign experts.”

So who were these foreigners he worked with? “In London, I went to a guy called Marrow, and in Manchester the studio I went to was The Future Lounge.”

Why not just record the album in Pakistan? “Working here is very difficult. There is a lack of professionalism. If someone gives you a time and a date, he or she can disappear as well.” He breaks off here and then continues, “But it is important for an artiste to go through that whole process in order to grow. I also lost a lot of sleep and suffered a lot of stress. But at the end of the day, after passing through all of that, I have 10 times more knowledge than before. Plus, I’ve learnt to be patient.

“Technically, it was important that the sound of this album be better than the sound of the previous album. For that, there were limitations in Pakistan. Plus, I had a picture in my mind for every song that I made.” He makes his point by sketching box-like compartments in mid-air with his hands. “I also wanted to be involved in each and every process that this album went through and that is why it took me a longer time.”

One feels the need to commend him in wanting to produce a product that would essentially be several notches higher in quality then those available in the market. However, what good would a well-developed CD do in a country where piracy is rampant? The same album will be ripped off and re-recorded on another CD with a definite loss in quality. How many, in the end, would benefit from the better sound quality that Ali is aiming for? More so, from among the masses who have been his ardent followers, how many will really notice the subtle differences that exist between an original and a pirated CD? Perhaps these are questions that can only go unanswered for the time being.

“I initially thought that I’d go to London and mix my album there,” Ali continues. “I stayed there for 15 days just to mix one song. Then I went to Manchester and mixed four songs there. But when I came back and listened to those songs, I didn’t like them. My money went to waste as I had to scrap them. Then I went to India and mixed the rest of the album there. I had to go back and forth just to get the right sound,” he says.

Speaking of the album Masti, what contents should we be looking forward to? “There are at least three songs about a girl. Besides those, most of the songs are related to my personal experiences and feelings. A lot of it has to do with how I want to be driven towards my goals and the energy and the hope that I need. I want to share that with everybody else who wants to achieve something in life.” Apparently, he has attempted to create an upbeat but very inspirational album and the mix, although unusual, should be interesting to hear.

Ali has often been criticised for being too commercial as an artiste. What does he have to say about the accusation? “I don’t believe in the philosophy that we (musicians) work only for ourselves and that we don’t care what the world says.” He says that if this is the approach an artiste wants to take, he shouldn’t be releasing his work for public listening. “Keep on listening to it in your studio and stay happy. How can people not matter?” he says incredulously. “People matter to me a lot. That’s why most of my tracks are easy listening. It’s fun, it’s happy and gives off positive vibes and energy.”

Moving on to his videos, one also wonders why Ali has switched from Tariq Amin to Nabila as his primary stylist? Specially when Tariq’s influence in his initial videos, most notably in Channo, was very apparent. The song was a hit, too, so why the change? “Nabila gave me a makeover for Ek Pal and I think change is good. I don’t believe in groups and lobbies; I like working with everybody and anybody who is talented,” he says. After a moment of reflection, he adds, “I don’t want to portray that I need a stylist to sell my music. A stylist complements you and yes, presentation counts a lot, but depending on them and believing that your music won’t sell without them is what I don’t believe in.”

And what will be the first video off the new album? “It will be called Masti and it’s just like the name. It’s a lot of fun; very hyper and very energetic. It was shot in India and it has been directed by an Indian director. I’ve made two videos in India; the other one has been directed by Ahsan Rahim.” Who else has contributed towards the album? “One song has been composed by Yousaf Salahuddin. A line here and there from one or two songs has been written by Khawaja Parvez. He guided me a lot for the rest of the songs. Otherwise I have composed and written the rest of the songs myself.” Almost as an afterthought, he adds, “I create my own things from scratch to the end. From story boarding to concepts, videos and music, I do everything.”

For Masti, Ali has signed up with Fire Records, a newfound record label. Again, why? “Well, they were paying me the most money” he says candidly, “and I’m comfortable with the marketing and promotion they’ve laid out for me.”

note: the photograph of Ali's album cover came out really screwed.

First Published:
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November 19th, 2006