AWARD-WINNING record producer Naughty Boy has appealed to Eastern Eye readers to help him on a new Asian-inspired track for his hugely-anticipated new album, due out later this year.
The musician – whose real name is Shahid Khan – is due to release his latest record in December. The star, known for his music collaborations with a number of prominent stars including Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith and Emeli Sandé, is keen to incorporate more South Asian influence into his work.
Speaking to Eastern Eye, he said: “I’m working on my first Asian club record and I’m thinking about which Bollywood singer should feature on it. If any Eastern Eye readers have any ideas about who they’d like to see on a Naughty Boy Asian song, then feel free to make some suggestions.”
This will not be the first time that South Asia has an influence of Naughty Boy’s music, however. Previously, Pakistani musician Rahat Fateh Ali Khan featured on his 2018 release Bungee Jumpin’.
“Bungee Jumpin’ had an east meets west vibe, with Asian and English lyrics,” the British-Pakistani star explained. “But for my new album, I want (a song) to be entirely in Urdu and Hindi. It’s the last song I need to complete (for the album) and I’m so excited for it.”
Ahead of the album release, Naughty Boy has plans to release two singles this summer. The two tracks will feature UK rappers Jaykae, Mist and American singer Harloe. Although the vocals were recorded prior to lockdown, Naughty Boy has been working hard to get the songs finished. He has a studio set up in a shed, installed in his front garden at his London home.
Asked if it was challenging making music during lockdown, Naughty Boy admitted it was initially. His mother Zahida suffers with vascular dementia and lives with her musician son, so that he is able to take care of her. A live-in carer also resides with the pair, so that his mother has additional support.
“Recording music began as a challenge as I would literally be jumping back inside the house if my mum needed anything,” he explained. “But gradually I worked out that it is all about routine, especially with dementia.
“The more routine that that my mum has, such as a routine for her meal times, the easier it made it for me to work on my music without being distracted.”
Since his mother’s diagnosis in 2018, Naughty Boy has become an ambassador for Dementia UK. The charity helps to provide support for families affected by dementia, a condition which can affect a person’s memory, language and other thinking abilities.
He revealed he has reached out to the charity since lockdown began in March, as his mother’s condition has progressively worsened.
When the Covid-19 crisis broke, he made the decision not to tell his mother about the pandemic as he did not want her to become panicked or distressed. However, after a routine visit to the doctor, she realised that “something was going on”.
“The doctor’s surgery was empty, when usually it is busy and she had to wear a mask and gloves,” he recalled. “So we had to tell her and we had to reassure her that we were fine. But those weeks after, I noticed a slight shift in her dementia and I was concerned it was because she was worried about the virus.”
Naughty Boy reached out to the Dementia UK helpline and spoke to some nurses for assistance. He admitted it was the “best decision” he could have made.
“I thought they might be too busy or there would be more important people that needed help but that was the best decision I made in terms of understanding more about what Mum is going through,” he explained. “Hearing other stories has made me feel like my family and I are not alone in dealing with this.”
Last month, the charity launched their latest campaign called Lives On Hold, which aimed to raise awareness of the challenges that dementia carers face. The cause is especially close to Naughty Boy’s heart, and he said he could empathise with families who are caring for a loved one during lockdown.
“For most people with anyone ill in the family, whether they live with them or not, it has been the most testing time that I can remember since my mum has been living with me,” he admitted.
Although it can be upsetting to see his mum unwell, Naughty Boy has used music as a positive outlet. When his mother is having a bad day, he plays music which she will recognise.
“I would play Bollywood songs to Mum from her wedding, songs that define her youth when she was growing up,” he said. “It would immediately spark a smile in my mum and she would start singing.”
She also recognises his music and has a particular fondness for La La La, which was Naughty Boy’s first number one single in the UK. “I use music to raise my mum up,” he said. “I think music is much more powerful than we realise.”
AN ASIAN writer has explained how his new book makes Britain’s imperial past “accessible, engaging and thought-provoking” for a younger audience.
Award-winning author and journalist Sathnam Sanghera’s new book, Journeys of Empire, explores empire through 10 journeys he described as being “extraordinary”. Sanghera said his book, published last month by Puffin UK, is “a way of helping children understand how Britain’s biggest story still shapes the world today.”
“We’re not taught this history very well,” he told Eastern Eye.
“The empire is morally complex – sometimes we were good, sometimes bad – so, how do you even begin talking about it? It’s also contentious. There are millions of us whose families were colonised, and millions whose families were the colonisers.”
Teachers cannot teach what they themselves were never taught, Sanghera pointed out.
“There are multiple layers to why British people are so bad at talking about this history. It touches on race, misogyny and geopolitics. It’s easier just not to talk about it.”
And , the cover of his book
Following the success of his bestselling children’s title Stolen History, Sanghera’s this latest work continues Sanghera’s mission to write for readers aged nine and above. With a focus on human experiences, Sanghera said he wanted show that history is not just a list of dates or conquests – it’s a tapestry of stories that connect people.
Born in Wolverhampton to Punjabi immigrant parents, he began school unable to speak English. Later he graduated with first-class honours in English language and literature from Christ’s College, Cambridge.
He has since built a career as a writer and journalist.
His memoir, The Boy with the Topknot, and his novel, Marriage Material, were both shortlisted for the Costa Book Awards. Empireland, Sanghera’s exploration of Britain’s colonial legacy, was longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non- Fiction, named a Book of the Year at the 2022 National Book Awards, and inspired the Channel 4 documentary series Empire State of Mind.
His first children’s book, Stolen History, introduced young readers to the complex and often overlooked realities of empire. With Journeys of Empire, Sanghera aims to go further. “When I finally learned about the British empire, it changed how I saw myself, how I saw Britain, and how I saw India,” he said.
“It seemed obvious that you’d want to give this gift to young people – because your 40s is a bit late to be learning all this.”
Sanghera said the 10 journeys in the book take readers across continents and centuries, revealing both the ambition and the brutality of empire.
“The British empire covered a quarter of the world’s surface and a large portion of its population. It was seven times the size of the Roman empire,” he said.
Aiming to ensure diversity in both perspective and geography, Sanghera said he chose stories from various countries and different phases of the 400-year history.
Alongside India and Mahatma Gandhi, readers will learn about Guyana’s indentured labour system, Gertrude Bell’s adventures in Iraq, and the British invasion of Tibet led by Francis Younghusband.
“I wanted to highlight areas often left out of mainstream narratives,” the writer said. The stories are written with an accessible and honest tone, and with humour.
“Violence is a tricky area,” Sanghera said. “You can’t go into graphic detail, but you also shouldn’t whitewash it. The violence and racism of colonialism were intrinsic. “I tried to strike a balance - acknowledging the brutality without overwhelming young readers.”
Writing for children isn’t much different from writing for adults, Sanghera said.
“You still need engaging stories and to hold attention. The main thing is to avoid big words that might put them off.”
He pointed out how storytelling can counter the allure of digital screens.
“Kids are addicted to screens, and reading rates are falling globally. That’s disastrous for mental health, intellectual development, and politics,” he said.
“When you get news from screens, you’re in an echo chamber – you’re not being challenged or taught to think in a nuanced way.”
Sanghera’s hope is that stories of Journeys of Empire – from pirates to princes and explorers to rebels – will draw in young readers to a world of curiosity and reflection. He said, “The British empire is a complex story. Even the ‘good guys’ had flaws. That’s what makes it worth understanding.”
At the heart of his book is a message about complexity and contradiction. “The empire involved slavery and the abolition of slavery. It caused environmental destruction and inspired environmentalism. We live in a world that struggles with nuance, but that’s what makes us human,” Sanghera said.
“My hope is that readers – kids and adults – learn that opposite things can be true at the same time.”
After six years of writing about empire, Sanghera said he’s ready for a change. His next book will focus on the late pop star George Michael, due out in June next year.
“I thought George Michael would be a nice break from empire. But then I learned that his father came from Cyprus - which was under British rule. The reason he left Cyprus was because of the British. So, even George Michael’s story connects back to empire. You can’t escape it, wherever you go.”
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