Falak travels a lot. And, of course, travelling brings in new experiences like meeting new people and audiences at different venues etc. But, his most interesting updates have to do with his collaborations with various local and international artistes (he can be credited with the most number of collaborations).

At a recent meeting with him in Karachi, he spells out his engagements, “I am doing tours, making new songs, recording, collaborating with different artists. Music, music everywhere!”

Falak has a special attachment with Simdh. After a recent tour of Karachi and Hyderabad, he says, “I have a lot of fans in Sindh, it’s just that being a Lahore-based singer, we get more offers there. But whenever I get the chance to go on a tour of Sindh, it’s always a treat. They are very humble people.”

Catching up with Falak is always exciting. “I am doing tours, making new songs, recording, collaborating with different artists. Music, music everywhere!” said the artist talking about his plans

So what is the story behind his music? “My music is simple. Straight from my heart. Whatever lyrics come to me, I scribble them down and then play along. Nothing complicated or overworked.”

Falak arrived on the scene in 2008 with the blockbuster track Rog. So how does he see himself as an artiste today? “Music has been in my life since I was a child. I struggled a lot but kept working hard. I stayed true to my roots and here I am with my music. It’s all because of my fans.”

Regarding the response of his latest video, he says, “My latest song is in collaboration with DJ Shadow from Dubai. The video has been shot in India. It’s a story-based video which I usually don’t do. It was a new concept and the response has been tremendous. I have also done a video with Dr. Zeus and Arjun, which will be releasing soon.”

How does a video add value to a track? “Music is for the soul and visuals add value to it.”

And regarding the importance of videos today, he says, “ Videos are very important in promoting a song. Today, the trend of albums’ and singles’ launches have almost vanished. Now, artistes have to launch videos with their tracks for better response.

“Music continues to evolve. We started with bands but now our artistes have entered the international music scene, collaborations and are venturing into neighboring industries. The genre of Sufism will always remain in our music but a lot of people are also venturing into RnB. It’s always good to add and experiment.”

Falak has done four songs for Bollywood, including

Sajna (I’m, U Aur Main), Mera Mann (Nautanki Sala), Judai (I Love New York) and Kya Tujhay (Sanam Re). “There is a lot of other stuff in the pipeline. I’m continuously working in Bollywood, which you will see in the near future. All my previous songs are a success among the Indian masses and my work is appreciated there.”

Any acting offers? “Yes! But I prefer focusing on music. I act in my videos so you can call me an actor.

“Collaborations are very important. You get to know different artists, their love for music and their talents. And you always learn something new. You never leave collaborations emptyhanded. It’s very healthy to collaborate with different artistes.”

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, February 21st, 2016