INTERVIEW WITH MEHNAZ - II

Who : Mehnaz
About : Indian Pop Singer
Website: http://www.mehnaz.com/

How it happened : Interview with Mehnaz
Interview Date: March,2001
Place: Bahrain
Pics: None

She is a wannabe Miss India. She has even awards for trying to be Miss India ! She is the dream catcher, who comes in the dreams of several young men, charming each one with her beauty. She has given hit songs in Hindi as well as English, the latest one being the one with Air Supply, ‘You Are’. Something is nothing for her. She aims high. She wants more knowledge and she is still learning to sing! The girl who has given smash hits like ‘Main Hoon’ and ‘Miss India’, Mehnaz, opens out in an informal chat.

Nikhil Taneja(NT) : Did you venture into music just because your father was also into it ?
Mehnaz Hossein(MH) : Nahin nahin...my father was never really ‘into’ music, my family is very musical…they are very fond of listening to music and I just encouraged it. I got into music because I think since I was a child I was always singing in school, and I loved the entertainment business. I have danced for 6 years professionally and I’ve even trained for Indian classical. And when I was in 9^th or 10^th standard, everyone said why don’t you do a demo. So I just recorded a demo…a tape and the music record company heard it and they called me and they offered me a contract and I just took it.

NT : How supportive was your family on your decision to take up singing ?
MH : My family is my biggest backbone, my biggest support. People say that Mehnaz, but you are a Muslim girl, isn’t your family conservative ? Not at all…they are really broad-minded. They love music. Like, I said, that when I was a kid, the environment at home was lovely. My parents, my brothers, my sisters-in-law are all just so supportive. They are everything to me.

NT : You have taken training for dance under Shaimak Davar for 6 whole years. What relationship do you share with him and did this training help you in any way to promote your career in music ?
MH : Most definitely. I would think…my basic grounding in dance was thanks to Shaimak. For 6 years I trained intensively with him. I was in his professional dance company. I taught too…he has a dance institute in Bombay and I was teaching on his behalf. I was an instructor. It was wonderful exposure. Shaimak is an excellent teacher. I used to look up to Shaimak as a Guru, but today I see him as a friend. He’s really wonderful. And I really really attribute a lot of my confidence on stage to the training Shaimak gave me.

NT : Your first solo show was in Muscat almost 6 years back. How has the journey been from then till now ?
MH : (Chuckles) Oh wow ! It’s definitely been wonderful because my first show(solo) was in Muscat on New Year’s eve, way back in 95. And...God ! So much has happened in these 5 years. I’ve done so many more shows, of course, I’ve got a lot more confident. I enjoy the shows now. Initially, I used to be scared to go on stage…you know, I wouldn’t enjoy myself on stage because I was all the time thinking of the outcome that will people like it, am I looking okay, am I dancing okay, am I singing okay. But now, it’s like I totally enjoy myself. I go on stage because I want to have a good time. And I guess when the artist is liking it herself, the audience loves it. It just shows.

NT : How is it that you’ve only sung for off beat films till now ? Don’t you have any plans of shifting to play back for commercial films ?
MH : I do, definitely. I did sing for off beat because I signed for Bombay Boys and then I sang for Split Wide Open with Air Supply and now Snip. I have been talking to different directors right now. So very soon you’ll get to see Mehnaz in a different light.

NT : You had once said that Mausam was a ‘mature’ album. Can you please elaborate ?
MH : Sure. Mausam was my second solo album after Miss India and the whole direction of it was totally different. Miss India was the first album…it was teeny-boppy and it established me as a singer. But Mausam was more mature in terms of lyrics, production-wise, musically. I think when people hear the product and compare it to Miss India, they definitely see a difference. And even as a singer, I thought I evolved a lot because I learnt so much, doing the album. I worked with different music directors. It wasn’t one person who did the whole album. So, it was a very good learning experience for me.

NT : How was the experience of working with Air Supply ?
MH : (Wide smile) That was like a dream. Because…I don’t know. Have you heard of them ?

NT : Yeah…they were popular in the 80s.
MH : (Smiles) You have…wow ! Because when I was a kid, I mean, Air Supply was very big in the 80s. And I hadn’t ever thought of ever doing a duet with then. But it just happened at the Channel V Awards 1996. When I won that year, they were performing. And then, the company spoke about collaborating with the artists. And it just happened. I went to LA and I recorded with them and I couldn’t believe I was there. I just couldn’t believe it. Graham, who was one of the guys, was singing his famous song, making love out of nothing at all, on the piano, and I was actually standing with him and singing. And it was like a dream. It was wonderful working with them. They are great musicians and I learnt a lot.

NT : Now that you have sung in collaboration with Air Supply in English, any plans of opening a solo English album ?
MH : I don’t think a solo English album would work in India because the thing is, in India, right now, Indian music is what sells and Indians are not very open to listening to an Indian artist singing in English as much as a foreign artist. So if I ever do an album, I think it would definitely be outside India and if it works and sells, I think then it would do well in India also.

NT : A lot has been written about the controversy involving you and Anaida. How far is it true and what really happened ?
MH : Nothing really happened. Its just that, I guess, when you are in the limelight and when you are in the news, people just write things about you. I think you should just take it in from one ear and take it out from another. I don’t have any hard feelings towards her. I wish her well and hope she feels the same way. And there is nothing much remembering about because, I guess, she’s gone her way and I’ve gone my way and they are just silly rumours that float around and no one takes them seriously.

NT : You are a trained classical singer, you have cut pop albums and you have also sung play back. Which among these is your personal favourite and why ?
MH : The thing is, that when you are singing for your own album, it’s very intense, because, you know, the whole album is you, it’s your voice, you are working on 8 to 10 songs. And when you are doing play back, it’s a very big challenge, because you go and you sing that one song because the music director briefs you, because either that song is picturised on another actresses face or if the song is concept based, they want a certain kind of attitude. They are looking for something. So it’s a challenge doing playback, because you have to live up to the wishes of the director. But when you are doing your own album, it’s you. Much easier that way.

NT : Since the time you debuted, pop music has changed quite a lot. Now you can see a new singer debuting every alternative day, irrespective of the fact that he or she has training in music or not. What do you have to say about this ?
MH : What I think is that quality will prevail. There are people who are one album wonders. They come and they go. But eventually, if you are good, you will sustain and you will stay. I think they need to stand up with a stable music company because you need a very solid backing. And I don’t know, when you watch television, today the singers that are being remembered the most are actually the serious singers, the play back singers, the ghazal singers. They are coming in and doing songs and their songs are hit. So it’s your quality of music. If you do good work, it will definitely show.

NT : What will you call as the ‘turning point’ in your music career ?
MH : Let me see… I think it has yet to come. (smiles)

NT : You’ve also modelled in a few shows. Any plans of taking modelling seriously ?
MH : No no no. I don’t model really. I just did this one show with Shaina, who is a very famous designer. She’s a personal friend. She basically had this show, and she asked me to wear one of her outfits. And I did only for her. And I enjoyed it. I mean it was Mehnaz in a different light. But the show was basically about women achievers, walking down the ramp. And what she tried to portray in the show was that anybody can wear her clothes. Be it a singer, be it a dancer, be it a doctor, whatever it is. That’s what she did. She picked ladies from different fields and asked her to wear any of her outfits. And I wore a sari and I walked on the ramp, and it was most comfortable. And someone who had probably come to the show, would feel that ‘Okay, Mehnaz has worn a sari, so it’s simple. Maybe even I can do it.’ I thought it was a very interesting idea , and so I did it.

NT : How have you been associated with Ms. Diana Hayden ?
MH : I know Diana since 1995-96. She used to basically manage me and Anaida, at BMG. At that time, Diana had just come back from Hyderabad. My career had just started, and Diana was there with me, so as to speak. I have lovely memories. Like I told you that I was very scared of performing, you know, I used to get nervous. But she was just excellent. Because before every show of mine, she used to calm me down. She was a great manager basically. Very tough. And she wouldn’t give in to my nonsense. Seriously, because you have to be careful. You can’t give in to an artist. And I learnt a lot from Diana I would definitely, very proudly say that I am very happy that she was there when I started off my career. And she’s been a wonderful friend. Although she’s won Miss World, her rapport never changed with me. She managed to keep in touch. I was the one, in fact, who thought that, you know, she’s become Miss World. This is serious now. But Diana kept her relationships with all her friends. And, even today, when she comes to Bombay, she will come home. She loves my Mom. She’ll chat with my Mom. It’s cool. It’s wonderful. The relationship is wonderful. And I hope it stays that way.

NT : Who is your idol and who inspired you to take up music as a career ?
MH : I have many idols. Like I was growing up listening to Whitney Housten, String, Bee Gees, etc, but I think my inspiration is not a person or a thing, but my inspiration is the goal that lies ahead of me. My aim, my dreams are what inspires me.

NT : Are you happy with the songs you have sung throughout your career ?
MH : Oh yes, of course. For me, I don’t look at anything in a negative way. I look at everything as a stepping stone. There are things that happen because of a reason. Every song is a turning point because when you record, when you work with other people, you are always learning. You are not going a step back. You are always going a step forward. Whichever way my career has taken shape, I know it’s going in a certain direction, because it has to go somewhere.

NT : What are you currently working on and what are your future plans ?
MH : Currently, I have not yet started working on any album. In fact, I am looking for the direction of music, where I want to go for my third album. So I think that’s going to take a while. It may take, like, 3 months. Besides, as I said that I am talking to different directors now. Ii am trying to get into play back. So, that should be happening soon. And of course, my life carries on all the time. I am very busy performing.

NT : Any regrets ?
MH : None.. none. Never.(smiles) Actually….I have one small regret. The thing is, that I am a little lazy sometimes, by nature.

NT : Yeah, I have read that you love sleeping.
MH : Oh yes(chuckles)…I looooove sleeping. You said it. But actually, when I was a kid, maybe I was doing too many things, like I was doing Indian dancing, western dancing, I used to play badminton, I was an athelete and everything. I just wish that I had taken learning the keyboard seriously at an early age. That’s all I regret.

NT : With name, fame and critically acclaimed awards, what is your aim in life now ?
MH : My aim in life is……actually, I don’t see myself doing a job or anything like that. Thank God that my passion is my hobby and my hobby is my passion. I love what I am doing. I don’t see it as monotony. Every day is a surprise, everyday there is something different happening. You are travelling, there is a shoot, you are meeting people, you are singing, you are performing. I just want to keep doing what I am doing, get better at it, because I am training with my Guruji, he comes on twice a week, I want to get better with my vocals, learning more knowledge, I think is important, and use that knowledge and move ahead with my music.