Sher Yar Khan follows his famous father, singer Naeem Ul Hassan's footsteps

By Asjad Nazir.

IT WAS going to be inevitable that Sher Yar Khan would follow in the footsteps of his famous father, singer Naeem Ul Hassan.

After delivering some superb cover versions, the British singer recently released his single Lareya Ishq Tera internationally to great acclaim. The talented newcomer has more marvellous music on the way and hopes to reach a wide audience.

Eastern Eye caught up with one of the breakthrough acts of 2018 to find out more.

How did you first get connected to music?

Music was always in my blood. I grew up listening to my father Naeem Ul Hassan, who is a Pride of Performance award winner in Pakistan. Watching him perform inspired me greatly. I looked up to him and subsequently got connected to music.

Who have been your biggest musical influences?

I’m a big fan and believer of creativity. Music itself is a creative thing, so whoever puts magic into music and creates a wonderful piece, I get influenced by them. But some of my biggest inspirations include my father, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Mehdi Hassan, Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar and Michael Jackson.

What led you towards your debut single Lareya Ishq Tera?

I have been performing and learning music for a long time and covered numerous songs, but there was a huge demand from the audience to come up with my own material. I thought I would only launch myself into this gigantic industry when I can be proud of the song. It took a long time to find the right song and credit for that goes to my management at AP Entertainment.

The challenge then was to do justice to the song by making sure the production and video were of the highest level. Again, my management were very influential in this and the end result is Lareya Ishq Tera.

What was the biggest challenge of putting the song together?

Choosing the right song itself was the biggest challenge. After that, it was delivering the video that we had visualised. We shot the video in Spain in some amazing locations and it was the experience of a lifetime.

How did you feel when the song and video were released?

It was just like a dream come true. I mean, who gets the chance to release their debut single on the biggest Asian record label, T-Series? I overworked myself, sometimes days turned into nights and the nights never ended. I believe good things come to those who wait and better things come to those who work for it. After going through a lot of struggles, watching my single being released was very emotional. If you want the truth, ‘I cried with happiness’

Will this be the type of music you release?

No. I believe you should learn the basics of the industry you choose to go into. I’m very lucky to be semi-classically trained by my father, so I can cover a majority of the genres. My music will always be varied. As a new artist I do not want to get stuck with any particular genre of music.

What can we expect next?

I’m a versatile singer and can sing everything - from ghazals and romantic numbers to bhangra, upbeat dance and rock - so who knows what I may come up with next. That decision will not be taken lightly. My management team and I have narrowed it down to four songs from which we will choose my next release. I know which one I want to release, but sometimes other factors need to be considered too.

Who would you love to collaborate with?

The list is endless, but some of them are Abida Parveen, Neha Kakkar, Shreya Ghoshal, Shazia Manzoor, Badshah and Taz Stereo Nation.

Which music dominates your own playlist?

My playlist is full of unplugged music. I love the sound of a live rock band.

You have done some cover versions; which is your favourite classic song to sing?

It will be Main Shayar Toh Nahin. I have so many childhood memories attached to the song. It makes me happy every time and the composition is just amazing.

If you could learn to play a musical instrument, which one would it be?

I’m a big fan of bass guitar and would love to learn to play it. (Laughs). Having said that, I’ve been told, I’m a mean drummer.

What inspires you?

Dreams. I’m talking about the kind of dreams that people work towards in their life - travel, careers, homes and creating things. Seeing people go after their dreams is inspiring. I have a goal and I work tirelessly to achieve it. Always dream big and don’t be afraid of failure. It’s a temporary glitch.

Why do you love music?

Because it is the art of combining vocal and or instrumental sounds to create expressions of an effect, like emotions and situations.

Music can describe feelings and thoughts that many people have, but cannot express - for whatever reason. Also, great songs move and inspire people. The creativity and talent that it takes to make music amazes me in a wonderful way.