Five years ago it was a small cultural event organized by the army we started growing with. Now the same event was the biggest platform in the country and we were basically an internationally recognized music band.
Jashn-e-baramulla 2018 was a huge pomp. It was succeeded in a really grand manner. We got to meet so many stars, producers and influencers. We were broadcast on the National Television.
Our Gazal-Bandish Jugalbandi greatly sold off the audience. It was mainly because I, Aadil and Chi had been learning hindustani classical music since our childhood and it was something very homely for us.
Here, our way towards Coachella was confirmed!
The same night we had one more special performance, it was in the 'after-show party'.
There were only a few eminent Indian music producers and the two men from Warner Music Group, US to watch our performance. It was our audition for THE COACHELLA VALLEY MUSIC FESTIVAL 2020. We had to perform our first ever English song.
We were all quite nervous in the beginning. I touched the podium and prayed for a few seconds. Everything around me was so silent. I held the mic in my hand and took a deep breath. I closed my eyes. Right then Aadil started the first note with his Rabab, Chi gave the first chords Inaaya played the beginning tunes oh her harmonica and right after the fourth beat of Diljeet's Tabala, gaining all the confidence of my lifetime I started our Indian style rock song like a roar, hitting my highest note-
[ I sang it solo]
Brain and heart and mind and soul;
Think the truth till the core!
For the world is all a game
And you shall have to play the same!
[Aadil and Chi joined in here]
Time is running out of time, yeah;
Words are in the loss of words, yeah;
I know that doesn't make a sense
That's why never lose the self of yourself!
That's why never lose the self of your self!
[Zeenat played the main piece in her santoor]
[I went solo again]
This game neither ends with a winner,
Nor does it it end with a loser,
For this one's a game that'll be played forever,
The game that'll be played forever!
[Aadil and Chi joined for the chorus]
You maybe the winner
With all the fame,
You maybe the loser
With all the pain,
But one day you are just
Out of the game!
Just out of the game!
[We sang together, all the instruments reigned in and ferociously finished the song]
Brain and heart and mind and soul, think the truth till the core!
For the world is all a game and you shall have to play the same!
So our performance finished and I opened my eyes which were shut since a few minutes.
Everyone applauded us, and one of the Warner Guy showed us a thumbs up. '"Powerful!" he mouthed. The other one was given the mic and the nice man simply said- "You guys are in!" and casually nodded with a smile.
Everyone jumped in the air out of happiness. My happiness had surpassed the world.
I don't know what I reacted to that.
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Kashmir Diary
Teen FictionI lived in Baramulla, a breathtakingly beautiful village in the borders of Kashmir. Life was mostly beautiful those days, all I did was music,music and music. We bandmates were like a family. But one night, all our peaceful lives were torn down and...
