With his ruggedly handsome looks and a voice that cuts deep as he croons with such charm & raw energy, affirming his stance as the king of hard rock, Umair Jaswal seems to have done it all. But this passionate artist has just scratched the tip of the iceberg as he commits to his craft with sheer dedication. This is why after suffering from a creative block for some time, Umair immersed himself in unexplored terrains, tapped into unfamiliar sounds and vocals, and voila- Dance Karein Saari Raat was born. While some have suggested that diving into something contemporary makes him a sellout, Umair says it was an honest effort where he had to unlearn what he knew and let go of his standards of perfection to unleash his creative energies with what resonated with him. However, his new album consisting of two volumes isn’t all that’s happening with him. Speaking to Social Diary, he shared why the new season for his travel documentary show ‘Raahi’ isn’t to be missed, why he had to let go of a certain movie project, and what it means to keep his personal life…well personal. Read On:
SD: The album truly represents a whole new Umair Jaswal. Do all songs cater to upbeat music?
Umair: If you listen to the full album, you’ll notice it is catering to different moods. I wouldn’t consider all songs to have the same beat. We have actually tapped into different genres. There’s a hint of pop, rock, and electronic music- basically a fusion of all sounds including slow-pop rock. This was the vision with which I created this album. I wanted to remove the barriers of genre which limit song creation and it has allowed for the magic to unfold.
SD: Was it a conscious decision to wait this long before releasing this album?
Umair: No, not really. Music isn’t something that I plan with a blueprint. It pretty much comes from the heart. It was time for me to experiment and not limit myself to just one genre. I just felt that I could go in any direction but I tried being as honest as possible and the result is in front of you.
SD: What were the setbacks?
Umair: Whenever I create music, my only concern is always to come up with honest work. If you listen to this album, you won’t sense that Umair is trying too hard to demonstrate his crooning skills. In fact, I’m incredibly comfortable in my skin. And this is what was lacking in my last album which I entirely shelved, simply because I wasn’t happy with the results. As a musician, you need to bring forth your full potential. If you need to keep on reworking on the same tracks, it loses its essence. Once that album was shelved, I went into this weird creative block and the onset of the pandemic didn’t help the situation. I dropped everything and went back to the drawing board. I reflected on what defines Umair Jaswal and deconstructed him. My raw energy is what lead towards this new album. It was not forced in any way.
SD: Was there an awakening moment in the midst of creating something new?
Umair: What I have realized is that I just love making music. Dance Karein Saari Raat allowed me to take on my music sensibility, and add a dash of my years of stage experience while deconstructing and unlearning everything to bring forth something raw and in its absolute sense. The album presents itself as something I can enjoy every day in this time and age.
SD: How was the initial response to the album?
Umair: It’s quite interesting how when you’ve managed to sing in more than 8 different ways on an album, nobody would believe it’s your voice they are listening to. But all I wanted to know was ‘Does it feel honest or sound forced?’ Alhumdulilah the responses resonate with it being honest and that means, as a creator my job is done.
SD: Any interesting remarks from your die-hard rock fans?
Umair: I found it delightful to read messages like ” We are so disappointed in you. We are angry because you were our last man standing in the industry for rock music and metal and you sold yourself out. But the songs were so good, we couldn’t stop tapping our feet. We love it but not that you did it.”
SD: What’s your favorite number?
Umair: I find myself listening to ‘Kha Ta’ a lot. It resonates with me on so many levels. However when it comes to the title song ‘Dance karein gai saari raat’, that is my version of a love song.
SD: Can we expect you to take on more live performances and concerts?
Umair: Absolutely, that is the plan. We’ve done a few concerts including free-for-all concerts aimed at giving people the chance to groove to music in a happening ambience.
SD: While your musical might is undeniable, your acting prowess was a force to reckon with too. However the latter has taken a backseat, why?
Umair: See everyone is well aware of a mega project I had to suddenly step back from. Unfortunate things can happen; when the people involved are not getting along, there isn’t clarity which directly impacts the creative process. I had to take my exit despite investing too much into it. I can’t stand uncalled-for behavior. But there is always a silver lining. As soon as I walked away from Shoaib Akhtar’s biopic, I knew my musical stance was going to get a major boost. I am also excited about how the second season of my travel documentary show-Raahi is shaping up. So there’s plenty happening for me and when I commit to doing something, I completely immerse myself in it.
SD: While we are on the topic of Raahi, the series provides a whole new take on the diverse landscape of Pakistan. How personal is the series to you?
Umair: Raahi is truly heart and soul representing the haven gifted to us. The show allowed us to ponder upon really important questions. While it is unfortunate PEMRA didn’t let us unravel most of those to get the answers as we would have wanted, at least we shone the spotlight on what is important and season 2 just has so much more in store when it comes to discovering Pakistan like never before.
SD: You married someone as happening and popular as you. How important is it for you to create a balance between pursuing your passion and creating private memories at home?
Umair: I believe if you want to have a good and healthy life, keep it as personal as you can. Also, create a balance where your personal happiness is not dependent on anyone else. Once you have your inner wellness sorted, you can spread it amongst those around you. This mantra has been working for me.
SD: Is it safe to say that you have done it all or do you think there’s still a whole lot that needs to be unraveled?
Umair: Oh, we are just getting started. What you see is just the tip of the iceberg- there is so much beauty in the rawness that is underneath.
SD: Your words on making it through these troubled times?
Umair: The fact is we are all living in sensitive times rather than sensible times. I really hope and pray that we can understand that difference of opinion should not give rise to hatred, and I wish the youth will channel their energy in the right way, creating good things out of this country. I want them to take charge, take initiative, and take ownership of what’s theirs.
