Arafat Mohsin Nidhi on 'Thako'

The spearhead behind numerous hit songs as a part of the famed Studio 58, Arafat Mohsin Nidhi's pedigree as a musician extends far beyond his reputation as a composer and producer. The musical genius talks to The Daily Star about his first extended play, 'Thako' in a candid interview.

Congratulations on the release of your first Extended Play (EP). What made you want to go for an online-only release?

To be honest, the idea was to have little to no barrier between the songs and the audience. The songs I have made over the years were circulating among my peers for a long time, and I needed to finally release some of them, as they started to become somewhat of a burden on me. The audio is very raw and true to heart, and there is no sponsor or corporate machine behind Thako. It's just me playing my heart out. 

Tell us about the stories behind the four songs in the EP.

The four songs – Adhora, Shono Na Tumi, Bhalobasho, and Tumi, are very close to my heart. Adhora was written by my friend, Fabiha Rahman. The song is an abstract portrayal of a woman, who looks like a different person in different lighting conditions. Shono Na Tumi is special, as it is dedicated to my mother. It is a very heartfelt song about the relationship between a mother and son. Bhalobasho is a song about the concept of triangular love, where the theme of 'being taken for granted' is explored. Finally, Thako, the title track of the EP, is about this one time I wanted to wear the night sky as my blanket (laughs).

Do you plan to promote the songs with live performances?

To be honest, I will only perform my music on stage, if I can make it sound exactly as on record. For that, I would prefer a choir of at least 18-20 people. I don't even want to sing my compositions on stage, I'd rather let someone else sing them, and have complete control over the sound on stage. You can say that I am a perfectionist in that regard.

What's next for you as a musician? Do you have plans for a full-length album?

I don't have plans for an album as of now. I want to feature fresh talent in my songs in the near future, and I am already making plans for that project. There are a lot of talented young artistes in the industry, who do not get recognition due to a lack of suitable platforms. I want to alter that, and hopefully, gift the industry some new stars.