Not just a musician, also a storyteller: Aabha Hanjura

The singer wants to bring Kashmiri sounds into modern contemporary music

Former Indian Idol finalist Aabha Hanjura, is known for her Kashmiri folk music. The singer who was displaced from Kashmir at the age of three during the exodus of Kashmiri pandits, now resides in Bengaluru. She quit her job a few years back to pursue a career in music.

Aabha has now teamed up with Hungama Artist Aloud #StayAtHome #StayEntertained, for a Facebook live concert on the Hungama Music Facebook page on April 8.

Metrolife caught up with the artiste to know more about her music and identity as a storyteller.

When did you realise you were interested in music?

My mom discovered my talent when I was very young. Being a trained Hindustani classical vocalist herself, she initially taught me at home. Eventually, my mother took me to music classes to learn the art more seriously. That’s when I realised that I really had an interest in singing.

Did you always want to make music that celebrated Kashmir and your Kashmiri identity?

No, it actually happened by chance. I took a trip to Kashmir while I was seeking a purpose for my music. That visit changed my perspective. While Kashmir is a beautiful place, it has a looming atmosphere of pain, and I wanted to shift the dialogue around our land. Moreover, I had a natural inclination towards the traditional instruments and sounds used in Kashmiri music; I wanted to bring that out of Kashmir and include them into modern contemporary music. In fact, that really inspired my first album ‘The Sound of Kashmir’ and solidified my decision to celebrate my roots with my music.

Your music video for ‘Roshewalla’ earned high praises, how important is it for you to have a visual accompaniment to your music? How involved are you in this process?

I not only identify myself as a musician but also as a storyteller. Visuals always play a huge role in my music. You will see in ‘Hukus Bukus’ there’s a vibe that I have created with a lot of colours. This tells you what the song is about even if you don’t understand the language. It is something that I’m very particular about as an artiste. I am very involved in the process of ideating. I enjoy it. For ‘Roshewalla’, I collaborated with a production house in Kerala — MadGenius. We both worked with actor Vishak Nair. We co-created the concept of bringing in puppets to tell a story of separation and reunion.

Bengaluru has a reputation for encouraging indie music. How has this city received your style?

If it wasn’t for Bengaluru, I might not even have been an independent artist. It is because the city’s huge culture of celebrating music of all forms, that I was inspired to pursue my passion. There is non-film music and film music both happening simultaneously in the city. This is because of the venues that are here. The city has really given me almost everything that I needed to thrive as an independent artist, from an audience to like-minded musicians. The city has always received me very well. I sing in languages that are not local, but there is always an audience for it. That has been quite a blessing.

What drove you to be a part of Hungama Artist Aloud #StayAtHome #StayEntertained?

We are all in this lockdown together, however alone we might feel. Everybody is hurting in one way or the other. They are either frustrated or anxious. When Hungama Artist Aloud approached me, I figured that music is a great healer and it could help people cope in these difficult times.

What are your future plans?

I am using this time to create and write a lot of music. I am also taking this time to reflect upon my journey as an artiste. I don’t know what the future holds because it’s a very different world that we are going to be living in a few months from now. I will be keeping my listeners engaged with as much music as I can with whatever resources are available at this point.