About Me
Fahmida Nabi Fan PageAsked about her fame singer Fahmida Nabi says, “I don't believe in instant fame nor do I sing to be famous. I’ve been singing professionally for the last 20 years but fame is relatively new to me. While I’ve always had a few loyal fans the number of them has been rather small until very recently. I guess it has to do with the fact that I’ve been rather selective in choosing the kind of work I do. Furthermore, I sing songs that touch me or move me emotionally either through the music or the lyrics." What about her talent then? To that question she replies, "Technically, that is vocally or musically speaking, I feel that I’m still no where near where I desire to be… But, I’m always trying hard to improve myself and to attain or reach that invisible mark,†casually adds this multilingual singer.
While she’s not in the studios recording, or performing Fahmida stays busy with learning and teaching the nuances of vocal music. She’s also a full-time mother to Aanmol, her only daughter, whom she considers more of a friend than anything else. As if that’s not enough Fahmida is also actively involved in various human-rights organizations (some of Fahmida Nabi’s Causes + Issues "Ending Child Hunger" - www.fighthunger.org "Aids/ HIV Awareness", "Social Movement against Corruption" / "Anti-Corruption Youth") and lifts her pen often to write or speak out against injustices to the poor and the needy. Asked about what personal qualities she finds most desirable this MA Degree holder in Philosophy says, “Work that helps others and work that breaks down barriers and opens new doors to get close to the masses moves me.†Asked about her hobbies and interests she says, “I listen to my favorite singers, shopping for hours, decorating… Also I love to collect things.†Her home is filled with artifacts, plants and things she picked up at random from around the globe and her backyard. One of her favorites is a beautiful rock with a hole that looks like a work of art, but is actually something she picked up at Cox’s Bazaar, Chittagong on a Holiday trip.
Though music runs in her veins, friends and family members had written her off when she was younger beacaue Fahmida used to scream and shout around the house, abusing her vocal chords to their limits. However musical inspiration came not only from Mahmud-Un-Nabi - her famous, playback/recording artist, father's vocalizations (SaReGaMa..s) every morning at dawn but also from her mother's warbling as she went about cooking. However it was the LPs of Lata Mangeshkar her mother used to play for the family while doing household chores that had the most profound impact on young Fahmida. "... songs were in my veins and at the age of eight when I first heard Lata Mangeshkar's song, "Naa Mono Laagey Naa, my soul ached and searched for something more..." reminisces Fahmida. "I used to wish if only I could sing with such conviction and perfection?!? It's not as if I wanted to imitate her or be famous but I wanted to be able to touch anothers soul the way Lataji song had touched mine!" "I had a matured taste in music from my very childhood. Fahmida's initial music lessons took place with the very able ears of maestro Ustad Amanullah Khan.
But surely there's much more to rendering songs then having a sound technique due to good lessons or having a great voice, right? To that Fahmida says, "Absolutely! She further adds, "Feelings or emotions must be deep rooted in all songs. Emotional rendition of tunes and lyrics should be able to stir the listeners to a other worldly state of mind. I am proud to say that my father was adept in doing so and it is from this feeling that I am inspired to keep away from rendering 'commercial' songs." Asked about some of the other musical influences in her life she freely admits, "The Carpenters was my favourite, their lyric and music still stirs me." "Besides them the group Abba and singers Shahnaz Rahmatullah and Jagjit Singh
has great influence on my musical taste."
Fahmida is basically a pop singer but likes to perform all kinds of songs, especially Tagore songs on request. She plans to release an album with songs of Tagore, Nazrul, Lalon, Atul Prashad, Rajanikant, Ghazals and folk soon.Fahmida Nabi was born in Dinajpur at her grandparent's house, locally known as 'Shaat Shundorir Bari' or 'Home of the Seven Beauties.' The renowned home exemplified the rich cultural heritage of succeeding generations of the family. Her earliest memory of the place is of a house brimming with fun and frolic, laughter and musical gatherings with her father leading the pack. Being brought up in such a family Fahmida feels that she never needed that extra grooming to become an artiste. It was already in her genes. Their house was a common platform for artistes to come and be part of this musical soiree.As a child, Fahmida recalls her days spent with local boys as a total daredevil. Stealing flowers and guavas from neighbors' gardens on rainy days was common place. During such excursions Fahmida would take the lead with Samina close behind as the assistant. They had foolproof action plans for these excavations so that they would not get caught.While Samina (yes that's the singerr Samina Chowdhury) was the studious one between the two sisters aiming to be a doctor, it was always Fahmida's dream to be an artiste.
Her sleep would break at the crack of dawn with her father doing 'rewaaz'... sa re ga ma on his harmonium, recalls Fahmida. She learnt the beauty of fusion from her father who was a master in modern as well as classical songs. She fondly recalls Lucky Chacha (Lucky Akhand) coming to their house with his musical instruments and playing them in non- conventional styles. All of this had an impact on her own music.In a gathering of artiste families, Fahmida sung her first song Mayer sneho gelo with sister Samina. It was a song composed by their father and finally a small dream had come true. That she could ever have a career apart from singing had never occurred to this singer. On answering a question regarding competition between her and Samina, Fahmida admits that Samina is a competitor as far as singing is concerned, but there had never been any personal rivalry between the sisters. Samina Chowdhury, her sister, has the same feeling towards music like Fahmida. When Samina sang the popular song "Ekbar Jodi Keu Bhalobashto" for a film and drew the attention of the audience Famida fell behind. But Fahmida says, 'I don't feel it was an obstacle to fame since my main target was to sing really good songs. Fame just wasn't an issue."It was Mahmud-Un Nabi's simplicity and humble nature that struck Fahmida and made her realise what a great person her father was. Fahmida believes that her father is still alive through his children. Being an MA degree holder in philosophy, she thinks that when people die, it's only their body, which leaves the earth; the minds relocate to someone else. Similarly her father's mind had transpired to theirs.Fahmida has teamed up with Napin Music (an audio production house); where for the Bangladeshi youths will get a chance to practice their vocal chords on microphones. The institute's main objective is to teach the technique of grooming voices. The opening is on June 1, 2006.Music is something so pure; there isn't scope for cheap music to survive, it will die a natural death philosophises the perfectionist Fahmida. In her words, "I don't believe in a few seconds fame neither do I sing to be famous. I have always drawn my inspiration from songs. I close my eyes and through a maze I enter into the hearts of my songs and sing. It takes me to impossible heights of clarity."Today she sings for her daughter. "I feel that I have to give the best I can for my daughter's sake. I don't know whether I am my father's apposite daughter, but I do know that I want my daughter to be proud of me."Fahmida Nabi is one of the most popular singers in the Bangladesh music scene today. Her genre of music is "pop" OR adhunik bangla songs. Her voice has inspired many Close Up 1. She is a professional musician, but she also aspires to opening her own voice institute for the new generation. To achieve this dream she has already made plans, where young singers will be able to learn the skills required to be a performer. According to her, many of our singers are extremely talented, but do not perform well of stage due to lack of proper grooming and practice. At her school, they will be able to learn how to handle a microphone properly and practice their voice modulation and variations.Fahmida Nabi also works with Napin music, an audio production and visual arts company. She has hosted a TV program called: Shurer Ayna as well.
Her hobbies are listening to her favorite singers, shopping for hours and interior decorating. Her home is filled with artifacts, plants and things she picked up at random from around the globe and her backyard. One of her favorites is a beautiful rock with a hole that looks like a work of art, but is actually something she picked up at Cox's Bazar. She loves to arrange and re-arrange her home.
Her albums have been well recieved by the masses, and she is very popular at stage shows among Bengalis all over the world. Currently she is working with Close Up 1 as a judge, where she looks for not only talent, but also the passion for singing.
According to her the most important quality of a singer is how well he/she can feel a song. If you do not have imagination, you cannot connect with an audience! It is the audience who matter the most after all. She says that her biggest achievement in life is the appreciation she gets from her fans for singing.
Her perseverance, hard work and the need for perfection has earned her a place in Bangladeshi music and in the hearts and minds of her fans from all walks of life.
