In a world where success is elusive unless you belong to the mainstream pack, Pakistan is going through a revolution of its own - a musical revolution that is. On the forefront stands singer-songwriter Natasha Humera Ejaz, with her own unique twist to the indie music scene.
Living in a dream world
Shahjehan Saleem
Karachi
In a world where success is elusive unless you belong to the mainstream pack, Pakistan is going through a revolution of its own - a musical revolution that is. On the forefront stands singer-songwriter Natasha Humera Ejaz, with her own unique twist to the indie music scene.
Having been around for several years, Natasha’s flair for the performing arts is palpable in the audio-visual treatment that depicts her music. The release of Natasha’s debut EP, Till the End of Time, was marked by one such [out-of-the-box] showcase event, held multiple times this past weekend in Karachi, which included, among other things, art-installations, music video screening, and a thrilling live music set.
At the showcase, Natasha along with other multi-talented artists such as Kohi Marri, Nadir Shehzad, Ali Junejo and Shahrukh Khurshid amongst others, created four different art installations - each represented one of the four songs featured on her EP. Be it ‘The God Song’ and its psychedelic inspired geometric room, shrouded with the smell of incense or ‘Khwab’, which was showcased in a room covered with wall-to-wall mirrors meant to make the audience ‘discover their hopes and dreams’; the art installations were a brilliant way to encapsulate the exhibition crowd. The event also featured an exclusive premiere of Natasha’s upcoming music video for the song ‘Raqeeb’.
In a post-game interview, Instep spoke to the rising star that is Natasha about indie sounds, the future of music and more…
Instep: Where do you see yourself fitting in the budding indie music scene?
Natasha Humera Ejaz: I think the fact that it is a budding indie scene is testament to the fact that artists carve their own little space within a larger sphere of music being consumed. I personally just feel honest towards what it is that I do and hope that it comes across in the work I present to the public.
Instep: Do you see a future for the indie music scene that is coming out of Pakistan?
NHE: This question would have been harder to answer maybe 3 years ago but today with the likes Shorbanoor, Red Blood Cat, Sikandar ka Mandar, Slow Spin, Orangenoise, Ali Suhail and so many more doing so well - the idea of independent musicians being heard is not a question anymore. And for the most part - all these artists support each other vehemently in each others’ ambitions. So as long as that keeps happening - the future is nothing but bright.
Instep: What can people expect out of your EP, Till the End of Time?
NHE: Truth. Fun. Quirk. Love. Honesty. And in terms of the musicians that played on it and helped produce it - sheer brilliance!
Instep: What song from the EP is the closest to you?
NHE: ‘The God Song’.
Instep: How important was it for you to incorporate art and installations to showcase your EP? Does it transcend the boundaries of just marketing or does it show a personal journey?
NHE: A bit of both, really. I wanted to do the showcase as such because I love the idea of an album taking on another form entirely for public consumption. I was in New York this year and went and saw that Bjork Exhibit. It was a beautiful, 360 degree experience and very inspiring. Audiences are so intelligent and I feel like a lot of them also want to be presented with something that challenges them and the way they are asked to consume music.
Instep: What future does Natasha Humera Ejaz see for her self in the music industry?
NHE: Never stopping. That is all I want from my career. To never stop and to keep finding exciting ways to engage my mind and apply whatever skill I have acquired over the last 10 years.
Instep: Can we expect an album soon?
NHE: Not too soon. The band and I are constantly working on new music but we’ll only put new stuff out when we feel the time is right.
