Faizan Khan, the brain behind the Fez Project, speaks to S Mallik about the initiative which aims to revive classical music in a scenario where the music landscape is dominated by Bollywood, EDM and metal sounds
In a world where the youth is taking lesser interest in classical music, an effort by Faizan Khan and his mother, acclaimed Sufi singer Zila Khan, comes as a surprise. The FeZ Project is aimed at reviving classical music and familiarising the youth with their roots. According to Faizan, classical music has always been an integral part of the socio-cultural fabric of the country. He says, “With a burgeoning young populace there is a need to re-connect the youth with classical music, an art form that is increasingly at odds against the cacophony of varied global and more commercial sounds. With several music festivals and music channels all around us and the music landscape being gradually dominated by Bollywood, EDM (Electronic Dance Music) and metal sounds, no one bothers to make an effort to revive classical music.”
It was while having a conversation with a college friend that Faizan realised the need for a project that can revive classical. He tried to explain him some details about a raga and the friend could not understand a bit. “There is a massive disconnect between the youth and classical music. The little he understood interested, him but not to a degree that he would regularly listen to classical music. That incident stayed with me, and the idea of The FeZ Project started forming,” he recalls. He then approached his mother Zila Khan with the proposition of the project. She being trained in the nuances of classical music, was more than happy to come on board. He says, “The enthusiasm that she showed only brings out her open-mindedness and her proactive nature- both as a person and as an artist.”
The objective of the project is to package and present Indian classical music in a way that interests the youth. It presents traditional music with other genres of music that are familiar to the youth. There will be music videos that will merge classical music with genres like beat-boxing, electronica, flamenco, rock etc.
Faizan points out that they won’t be ‘remixes’ or ‘fusion’. He says, “We have been careful to ensure that we don’t dilute the quality of the songs, and yet marry the two genres while keeping the essence and relevance of each intact. By doing so we want to disrupt the current trend.”
Faizan says that the FeZ Project is one of the many ways of encouraging the youth to listen to classical music. He says, “Traditional form of classical music will always live and hopefully thrive. But the hard fact is that the youth finds it difficult to connect with it. So, it is equally important that we find ways to ensure the revival of classical music. Re-invention of classical music is one of the ways.”
First video under the project has already been released. It’s called Chaap Tikal. They are taking recourse to the digital media as part of their promotion strategy. Faizan feels that the digital media is one of the most effective ways to reach out to a large audience, especially to their target audience. He says, “It’s high time that Indian classical music utilises the power of the web and makes its presence felt. We are dropping one video per week. One can also listen to Mai To Piya Se, Halka Halka Suroor Hai and more on Zila Khan’s official YouTube page.”
Their sincere efforts have also got appreciation from Anupam Kher who has supported the concept.