Interview with Bilal Khan

I got the opportunity to meet Bilal Khan earlier this year for an interview relating our research project on music .. Here are the details i was able to gather about him and some interesting facts about his career and how he worked his way up so quickly in the music industry :-

Since its inception, Coke Studio has done for Pakistan what many of our leaders and politicians have failed to do. It has provided a platform for the arts and in doing so has introduced and created extraordinary talent in the form of musicians and poets who could almost pose as magicians. It has created a fusion, one that has successfully blended a country that is oft-divided along imaginary tribal and state borders. And most importantly, Coke Studio has brought together an entire nation. Respective of age, gender, class, religion and even location (the show instantly spread its magic amongst the Pakistani diaspora) the state of Pakistan, in the midst of chaos, allows herself to see harmony and unity as created by some of her most talented citizens.

As Coke Studio enters its fourth season the teasers, promos and behind the scenes footage confirm what we already were suspicious of: brace your hearts and buckle your seat belts, folks, it’s going to be a thrilling ride.

Season 4, Episode 1 has a promising line up of fresh, young talent.

Amongst this line up is Bilal Khan, a LUMS graduate with a night gig as “Pakistan’s Justin Bieber”.

Bilal Khan is living what he has dubbed The Unlikely Story.

His undeniable musical genius was discovered late at night, under a tree at LUMS, where he was recorded performing what would become his first hit single Bachana. Uploaded to Youtube with the intentions of distributing amongst friends, just a year later Bilal Khan finds himself with a Youtube channel with over a million views, music videos airing on national television, an album awaiting release and the by product of fame: heartthrob status.

Recently awarded Best Singer of 2010 and Best Song of 2010 for his first hit single, Bachana (as voted by MAST FM 103), Bilal Khan will be making his first appearance on this season’s Coke Studio in Episode 1 where he will be performing Tou Kia Hua, a previously unreleased song off his first album Umeed.

Bilal Khan has been a flash flood as of late – in the last year he’s come out of nowhere and seems to be everywhere. Thus far his TV, radio and magazine appearances have focused on the general. Yours truly figured there was more to the man behind The Unlikely Story. So there you have it: an interview with Bilal Khan in which we uncover the random, obscure and previously unknown.

What is your current state of mind?

Happy chaos.

What is your most prized possession?

My dad’s watch. I’d cry if it ever got stolen.

When and where were you the happiest?

I’m happiest when I’m far, far away from reality.

On what occasion is it okay to lie?

When you get paid to lie? Like a TV commercial because everyone knows you are lying anyway?

Which historical figure do you most identify with?

The two-year-old me. He was deep.

What is your idea of a perfect Sunday?

No sun for one. And lots of family time.

What is it that you most dislike?

Dogmatic behaviour.

What is it that you most like?

The interviewer.

What is your favourite color of socks to wear?

Nothing beats a pair of good ol’ white socks.

If you were a biscuit which one would you be?

An inedible one. Soggy. Who lives the afterlife as a byproduct of the human digestive system.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three items would you take?

Internet connection, a guitar and a Wilson volleyball.

If you could invite a musician to dinner who would it be?

Beethoven. Just to get ladies tips.

Do you have any special type of ritual you perform before going on stage?

I check my zipper making sure it’s sealed and impenetrable.

What is the one thing a girl can or has done to catch and keep your attention?

Saying that she likes something about me that I totally hate about me.

Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter?

Tough one. Gandalf!

Star Wars or Star Trek?

Tougher one. Star Trek. The Original.

Vampires or werewolves?

Vamps because I look like one.

Coke or Pepsi?

You wanna get me fired?

Boxers or briefs?

Boxers. Makes life easy and loose.

You seem so grounded. What stirs you at your deepest level?

I think the fact that I know that much of this is unreal. That my reality is still that of a normal human.

I’d like to take a page from Barbara Walter’s playbook and ask “if you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be”?

A single wildly green tree in the middle of nowhere. Enough water and sunshine and nobody to chop me off.

Let’s say hypothetically: you’ve reached P.Diddy level of fame — what is your first investment? A yacht (in true P.Diddy fashion), a one of a kind, original Beatles record or a flashy sports car equipped with a hot model?

I’d pay off my student loans if I had some. Also I’d invest in Louis Vuitton sunglasses cos’ what’s a Diddy without some Vitty!

Do you ever worry that one day you will run out of ideas for your incredibly beautiful and poetic song lyrics?

That’s a great question. The day I find my perfect happiness would be the day it all ends. No to be serious I don’t think I’d run out of stuff to talk about but I could definitely loose the magic.

Favourite book?

I think I’m really close to finding and reading my favourite book.

TV show character you relate most to?

Don Draper. (I wish).

An animal you most resemble?

Easy, baby cub. And somebody said Lemur to which I took no offense.

Facebook or Twitter?

Twitter for Desis is like the elitist version of Facebook. Facebook is too common, too mainstream. Majority Desis still have trouble writing messages with ‘@’. There’s something instant about Twitter that’s making me fall in love with it.

Favourite quote?

Be desireless, be excellent, be gone. – Tao of Steve

Post by : Muhammad Arslan Ayub               

- AS -