‘THIS IS THE REAL ME’ Jugni singer Arif Lohar says his chimta-turbanethnicwear look isn’t a deliberate attempt to look different

‘THIS IS THE REAL ME’

Jugni singer Arif Lohar says his chimta-turbanethnicwear look isn’t a deliberate attempt to look different

    It's hard to imagine this today but Arif Lohar was snubbed by organisers when he asked for ‘star attraction’ billing not too many years ago. “You must be kidding”, he was told.The Punjabi folk musician from Pakistan’s Kharian Tehsil in Punjab was informed that his style of singing didn’t appeal to the younger generation, that he was fit for only cultural programmes and only the exceptions in his genre broke into the mainstream. With Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, a Sufi great that appealed to masses as his role model, Arif continued to strive till he, too, became that exception. His devotion to his music and hours of riyaaz paid off. Armed solely with his talent, trademark grin and chimta, he delivered the performance of a lifetime on a televised music show in 2010. The song went viral, getting over 10.4 million views online making him one of the subcontinent’s most sought-after performers since.
MUSICAL MOORINGS Born in a family of musicians, folk icon Alam Lohar’s son feels music was his destiny. “I guess Allah had destined that I take my father’s legacy forward. My father once told me that I was an infant when I started swaying to this kind of music. That’s when he started to train me. I started to explore Punjabi folk earnestly,” says the soft-spoken singer. As he started mastering his art, news of his talent spread and at a young age, he cemented his position as a Punjabi folk talent to watch out for.
JUST ME Arif was never apologetic about his roots, nor did he try to model himself after any other musician. “Folk music is my forte. I sought inspiration from talented performers like Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Mukesh and Mohd Rafi but never tried to ape them. I kept working on my skills and wanted to popularise our distinct singing style,” he affirms. In order to promote his talent, he knew the only way was to practise for hours and never lose touch with his roots. “I’ve seen a lot of talented folk musicians lose the plot in order to gain popularity. Somewhere in their career, they start striving to be someone else and that’s where originality goes for a toss,” observes Arif. Ask him about his look — the chimta, the turban and ethnic wear and he says it “keeps reminding me of my roots. It’s not a deliberate garb just to look different. It’s the real me. And my smile is my way of thanking God for blessing me.”
HONEST MUSICAL APPEAL Right from the beginning, Arif advocated the important of good and honest music. For him, such music knows no boundaries and is liked by all. “I used to hear Sufi numbers and qawwalis in nightclubs. It made me even more determined to ensure that even folk music would be liked by all,” he recalls. For him, good music appeals to people across continents and across generations. He cites the example of some of the emerging and established Indian folk musicians like Wadali Brothers. But for him what marks a difference, are definitely the lyrics. “We’ve spent sleepless nights finalising the lyrics. Right words make or break a song,” he says.
JUGNI GIG While the Government of Pakistan conferred on him their highest civilian honour, The Pride of Performance award, even as other accolades poured in, his music still wasn't considered mainstream. His talent wasn’t in doubt, it was just his performance skills that critics called into question. He silenced them all with his rendition of Alif Allah Chambay Di Booti (Jugni) on the third season of a popular music show. Since, many have hailed it as the performance-to-watch of the entire series. He jammed with upcoming pop star Meesha Shafi for that number, a track that “made me popular amongst youngsters and opened newer avenues to showcase my talents,” he notes. Moving on from cultural fests and heading to night clubs and packed stadiums, an also-ran finally became the star performer. “This success has come after years of tireless devotion. It’s the ultimate dream of every musician. Thankfully I am able to live it,” says a grateful Arif, who then went on to recreate some of that magic for a film version (in Cocktail).
NO DESTINATION Ask him what’s next and he simply shrugs and says more music. “It reflects my world,” he philosophises. For him, it is important to keep enjoying what he’s doing than to plan a career. “A musician doesn’t think of stages in life or plan for accolades. He just devotes himself to his art and keeps working at it,” advises Arif. He had no clue that Jugniwould be a career-defining performance or if he will better it with another hit. All he knows that his journey has hit a purple patch right now and he wants to enjoy it to the fullest. “There’s nothing permanent in this profession. Highs and lows are always around, he signs off, wide grin firmly in place.

Arif Lohar