Written by: Yusra Hayat
Posted on: March 12, 2015 | 
Singer Faizan Tirmizi (photo credit: MQ Photography)
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Today, several years later, a Political Science major from the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Tirmizi has joined several musical bands to learn, practice and further develop his musical instinct. “Musical intuition is extremely important; it’s like IQ and EQ, which may be innate but can be developed and improved through consistent practice”. The music society at LUMS allows free jam sessions, improvisation and a great deal of opportunity to learn from seniors and experiment with them. This has enabled Tirmizi to identify not merely his strengths and weaknesses, but also his musical ideology, which refuses to be categorized into any particular genre and transcends labels of any sort.
“Music is my life, my religion, and a form of art which, once labeled, would not just limit experimentation and restrict audiences, but will begin to rot and deteriorate. It’s a universal entity that, in my opinion, should never take the form of patriotic songs that create further divisions within humanity, but should serve as a unifying force, allowing people to understand and express emotions. It should bring out people’s humanity and therefore bring people closer together”.
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Tirmizi took part in his first ever music competition in Islamabad, on his father’s insistence, where the judges’ panel comprised of Ustaad Bade Fateh Ali Khan and Jawad Ahmad. After singing Amir Zaki’s ‘Mera Pyaar’, Tirmizi won a consolation prize and a kiss on the forehead from Ustaad Bade Fateh Ali Khan, who inspired the young fourteen-year-old with his utter humility, love and sheer encouraging remarks: “Beta, you were very good. Keep doing this good work”. Tirmizi recounts this episode with a great deal of pride, stating that this was a significant encounter in his life that made him even more determined and committed to use music as a means to unite humanity. He also derived a great deal of motivation and enthusiasm from Islamabad-based singers Natasha Humera Ejaz, Umair Jaswal and Ahmad Ali, who served as his mentors when he was younger. “They would sit with me for hours, helping me with the technical aspects of western vocal training”, remarked Tirmizi.
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Throughout his later teenage years, Tirmizi sang and performed on various platforms. He opened the “American Voices” performance at the Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA). He sang “We Will Not Go Down in Gaza Tonight” by Michael Heart in solidarity with the victimized women at the International Women’s Day (PNCA) in 2009. He also performed Junoon’s “Mera Maahi” at the World Music Day in Lahore’s Ali Auditorium. Furthermore, he sang Damien Rice’s “The Blower’s Daughter,” Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep,” Noori’s “Peeli Patti aur Raja Jani ki Gol Dunya”, “Neend Aye Na”, “Dil ki Qasam” and “Bol”, as well as Entity Paradigm’s “Aghosh,” “Hamesha,” “Kahan Hai Tu” and “Fitrat” at various LUMS music festivals, Sports Fests, LUMS FILUMS events and celebrity concerts.
Tirmizi’s debut song, “Darya”, is an inspiration from his mother. Produced by Shan Azmat, it was released in November 2013, and its video is expected to come out in the summer of 2015. With this solo song, Tirmizi gained a fan base as far as Germany and Turkey, where people, unable to understand the lyrics, enquire about the meaning of his song.
Tirmizi uses his passion to express different aspects of his personality, his perception of the world, and people’s duties and roles within it. He believes that it is a constantly evolving struggle that not just entertains but brings solidarity and joy to people. On this subject, he commented: “Have you seen people at a concert? Can you distinguish their religions or classes? That’s what makes it so beautiful. I write and play music in both English and Urdu, and my songs vary from comical renditions of the Mortein advertisement to the recent song I’ve written in the wake of the Peshawar attack. My passion derives strength from my fears and uncertainties. I guess that sums up life too, and that is why music is my life”.
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