Written by: Nayha Jehangir Khan
Posted on: May 28, 2021 | 
| 中文
Wajiha Ather Naqvi Performing 'Hijrat' at A For Aleph Studios with Jasir Abro, Aziz Kazi, Irfan Yaar Mian and Umair Dar (photo credits to Ayaz Sheikh)
Pakistani Sufi music has been reinterpreted, modernised and commercialised in the recent past. The melodies of Ghazal, the intensity of Qawalli and the orchestral depth of Classical music has become harder to research and trace due to limited resources available in the country. During these uncertain times for the traditional arts, a multidisciplinary artist and cultural anthropologist, Wajiha Ather Naqvi has created a soulful cultural practice that explores the history, poetry, and transcultural experiences of Sufi music.
Her journey started during her formative years in Karachi, and later when she attended the Lahore University Management Sciences (LUMS). She was awarded the Falak Sufi Scholarship through which she acquired a Masters of Arts (M.A.) in Near and Middle Eastern Studies from the New York University in 2012. Since then she has worked with Coke Studio on seasons 11 and 13 alongside acclaimed musicians and producers. We sat down with Naqvi to talk about her academic pursuits, music projects and life experiences for an in-depth conversation:
Wajiha as a Young Performer (photo credits to Amna Zuberi)
WAN: While growing up in Karachi, my mother allowed me to attend guitar classes as a hobby at the Yamaha School Of Music, as long as I performed well academically at school. During my undergraduate studies at LUMS in Lahore, I started actively performing with bands and writing my own songs. I explored poetry, literature about music in the Subcontinent and attended courses pertaining to those interests.
I participated in the Lahore underground music scene and remember Farhad Humayun often used to perform at the university. But going to New York as a first-time visitor and student for postgraduate education, was an unbelievable experience. I had grown up learning and thinking about the bands, beat movements and music that came out of New York. There, I explored and discovered parts of my music that I otherwise would not have been able to practice. I chose courses that were on performance studies and the anthropology of sound, and learned a lot about sacred music and Sufi music. And I took a lot of courses that expanded my understanding of the anthropology of religion, particularly Islam, but also looked at performance in a general religious and sacred context.
Wajiha Meeting Abida Parveen at Coke Studio
My focus became Sufi music, as my discipline involved Muslim countries and South Asia. I learned the Persian language and developed my thesis around Sufi music festivals. This was a self-exploratory phase of my life, I was drawn to our collective heritage and Islamic roots. I reimagined and reclaimed my own Muslim identity through the unique lens of sacred music and Sufism, while doing research on certain transnational Sufi orders. During the summer, I interned at the Harvard South Asian Studies Department, attending a course on social development in Pakistan. I was aiming to expand my professional, as well as cultural, experience in the United States. Alongside my work, I learned Latin, Salsa and Bachata dance styles that are not practiced in Pakistan.
Once I was back in Karachi my interest in classical music training grew, as I was becoming increasingly passionate about learning notation and improving my vocal abilities. My intention was not to become a classical singer, but to focus on the history and legacy of the eastern classical music system. It’s deeply moving for me and has a profound effect on listeners. Being able to deliver a range of notes and ornamentations that I've grown up listening to, including old classic Bollywood songs, a lot of Qawali stayed with me and I wanted to replicate it.
I set a goal to gain a classical education in singing to expand my understanding of the art form. After a long period of searching and seeking a teacher, perhaps it was destiny that I found my current Ustad. I was referred to him by my friend Kamal Khan, Director of the film “Lal Kabootar”, as he knew of my musical interests. He had also introduced me to Zohaib Kazi who was the associate producer at Coke Studio Pakistan from 2009 to 2017. Through that introduction, I got an invitation to audition for Coke Studio Season 11 as a backing vocalist.
Wajiha Performing Backing Vocals for Coke Studio (photo credits to Amna Zuberi)
Rauf Saami, son of Naseeruddin Saami, teaches a selective group of students, but the difference in my case was that I became one of his more serious shagirds through a series of grueling auditions and classes. I was nervous as my acceptance into his tutelage was entirely dependent on his evaluation of my performance. These teachers look beyond your technical abilities to assess your passion and openness for learning the discipline.
I began my classical training in 2016, and have since considered myself a student. It is an ocean that never ends. The more invested you are in the music, the more you learn about life. You learn about yourself through classical music and your interaction with your Ustad. The training has shown me what to value in life, who I truly am, and how to focus intensely on myself through my voice. It has really opened doors of self-reflection and introspection like nothing else. This validates my love and passion for music.
My original song “Yaqeen” was released during Season 13 of Coke Studio. I was also working as part of the production team heading the creative strategy, the research team, and was overseeing the editorial content of the show. My duties included coordinating with agencies, writing song briefs, overseeing translations etc.
Wajiha Recording 'Yaqeen' for Coke Studio
I learned a lot from Rohail Hayat, a musical genius who ensures that an artist delivers their best and knows exactly how to build each song into completion. Coordinating during a pandemic was challenging but we managed. And it felt more meaningful and powerful than otherwise, because no one was concerned with ratings or viral trends. I really enjoyed the experience as it was close to how I view music. We collaborated with international musicians from Nepal, Turkey and Lebanon. I was able to experience these different musical flavours, and get a closer view of the creative process behind making the songs.
Currently I am working with Rohail Hayat on multiple music-related projects that are yet to be released. As well as working on my own music album, I am also writing and researching, while trying to publish my works and bring the history and depth of Eastern music to the public.
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