In the 1980s, a new genre of music was unleashed in Nepal when a young, long-haired singer with a touch of Western vocal wooed the Nepali audience. There was nothing called “pop music” in Nepal then, and so the young man was simply dismissed as a “one-time hit” by the music industry insiders. But the audiences had different plans for him. Two decades later, Om Bikram Bista came to be called King of Pop in Nepal. Bista dared to sing to a different beat and pioneered a new chapter in Nepali music. Still very much a pop star, this heart-breaker shared some musical insights with VOW. Excerpts from the interview:

What is music to you?
Music is very close to my soul. It is a necessity for me, the string that pulls my life together.

What kind of music do you like?
Though I am referred to as the “Nepali King of Pop”, one will find a lot of versatility in my singing and song choices. The variations in my songs are due to my interest in a wide range of music. I listen to all kinds of music. My favourite band, the Beatles, sums up the genre of music I like.

Which song of yours is your alltime favourite?
There are many songs that I really love, but if I had to pick only one, I would go for Ma maunta ma. I remember when I was about 13, Albert and Robert Subba had created the tune for the song. Later on, when we got an opportunity to write the lyrics to the tune along with Puru Thapa, I was overjoyed. And the overwhelming response from my audience only added to my love for this song.

Who are your musical idols?
I adore Narayan Gopal and Bachhu Kailash. I have always drawn inspiration from them while learning semi-classical and singing. Nevertheless, I learnt the art of singing from Prem Dhoj Pradhan. He is a great musician and I have great reverence for him.

Which instruments do you play?
Though my family did not have a background in music, my family members are all very enthusiastic about singing. My father was very passionate about music, thus I too became involved in music from a very young age. I started playing guitar at the age of 10. When I got my first guitar, I played it for hours on end until my fingers bled, and the funny part was that I didn’t even know any chords! I love to play the guitar, and whenever I get time, I start strumming.

What is the secret behind your success?
I should give due credit to my parents for my success. When I started out in the field, there was not much respect for modern music or “pop music”. However, my parents were always by my side with encouraging words. They had faith in me. Besides, even in times of despair, I never faltered from my goal and what I believed in—my music. I think it’s this persistence that has helped me succeed in this field.

What have you learnt from life?
There are many precious lessons I have learnt from my life. Honestly, I was a maverick when I started out, and others in the field were not that encouraging. I remember lining up for hours to get a date for recording in Radio Nepal. I used to cry when my talent was not given due credit. People would dissuade me in every possible way, but I didn’t lose faith in myself. By God’s grace, I was gifted with a good voice and I had taken classes for classical music, so I tried not to give any reason for people to criticise me. Of course, there were criticisms but I learnt to tackle them. Nobody’s comments or remarks matter if you believe in what you are doing.

How does it feel to be called King of Pop?
I take pride in being called the “King of Pop” because I believe that’s how my fans have bestowed their love upon me. At first, I was surprised to be addressed in that fashion, but later I realised that it was the result of the risks I took with my music. I experimented with all the ranges of my voice at a time when vocals were very low pitched. I introduced the idea of modern music into Nepal at a time when longedhaired singers who danced on stage were considered indecent. But I knew there was an audience craving for modern music, so I persevered. When I am called a revolutionary of modern Nepali music, I feel that my hard work didn’t go in vain; that it did pay off.

Tell us something about the recent concerts you gave abroad…
I gave concerts in many places in America and Europe. One of the most recent ones was organised by Madan Pathak in Los Angeles where non-resident Nepalis were raising funds to build a temple of Pashupatinath there. The Nepalis abroad are very enthusiastic about Nepali music and the turnout for my concerts were very good.

A song which you would sing when…
You are happy: Na bani deu mero oth ko laali
You are emotional: Yaad gara ti din haru

A song you would dedicate to…
Country: Ma mare pani mero desh baachi rahos
Family: Ma mauntama

Text – Sushmita Chaudhar