Kailash of Music | Interview

Uniquely soulful and raw, these are some of the words used to describe Kailash Kher's voice. Be it his Subhanalla in Fanaa's soundtrack or Yuhi Chala Chal Rahi in Swades's, we know Kailash for the passion that shows on his face while he sings- thanks to television.

Though he is a relatively new singer on the block, till date he has done more than 100 shows all around the world with his band Kailasa. He recently released his second album Kailasa Jhoom Re with a live performance at Hotel Sea Princess in Mumbai, where WAVE got a chance to interview him.

Extremely talented and blessed with a very unique voice, Kher's story is a typical rags-to-riches story; wherein Bollywood notoriety of cheating and exploitation finds an ample share. But it was not going to be so with this singer who by then had started living on a Mumbai railway platform in Penury but not ready to stop chasing his Bollywood dream.

"It was my unflinching faith in God and my perseverance that has put me where I am now," he says. Relatively untrained in comparison to other Bollywood playback singers, Kailash says, "I haven't had any formal training nor had a single guru till date," which comes as a surprise to many of us.

He shot to fame when he lent his voice for the philosophical, Allah Ke Bande from the obscure movie Waisa Bhi Hota Hai II (WBHH II). The long lyrics from the film sung by hitherto-unknown Kailash Kher, seemed to be coming out from the deep of a man, wounded and defeated by the harsh ways life. A style that is now uniquely his.

Spiritual and infectious, his band's sound takes the crown for mixing Sufi music with club beats, rock ballads and earthy vocals. "I think it's the kind of lyrics I choose which are different and special and the kind of instrumentation used in my music also stands out," reveals Kailash, who was flying out the next day for a 45–day USA tour with his band. Now, isn't that proof enough to add global to the long list of adjectives to describe his sound?

Yes people, we see you shake your head in approval with a hope that Nepal would be his next stop.
What is your idea of a successful career?
When your work gives others an inspiration to adopt the same field for career whether it is for name, fame or money you get. When people start considering you as an icon.

What is your opinion about Nepal as a place and your fans there?
I strongly feel Nepal has some spiritual connection with me, my name Kailash means Lord Shiva's abode, and Kailash Parbat (mountains) starts from Nepal. I believe people of Nepal are well-nurtured culturally. So, I am sure they must love my kind of music.