Plugged-in: Emon Chowdhury

Emon Chowdhury is one of the virtuosos of the Bangladeshi music industry. Modern Bangla songs have seen a rise with his fantastic guitar compositions. His passion for music is manifested through his dedication and respect for what he does. His inexorable sense of commitment towards 'Chirkutt' has made him one of the core members of the band. After the huge success of 'Aha Re Jibon' from 'Doob', Emon is currently working on some experimental projects. In a recent interview with Star Showbiz he has shared his experience of becoming a guitarist, his inspiration, childhood memories and his future plan.

Thank you very much for your time! Tell us about your current projects.

I am working on something very different currently. I am composing an instrumental named Guitolin – a mixture of guitar and violin. It is very new in Bangladesh. People in foreign countries are going crazy over guitolin covers. Even though I am currently experimenting this new form, my others projects are progressing in full swing. I always prefer instrumental music and hopefully, I will stick to instrumental for the rest of my life. Recently, Minar and I made two songs. Minar is a wonderful singer. It was a pleasure working with him. I worked with Tahsan, Puja, Elita Karim and Tanzib Sarwar this year. It was a great learning session for me. I came across so many new things and techniques this time. These experiences not only enlarged my horizon but also exposed me to new forms and ideas.

What else do you like to do apart from your regular music composition?

Other than guitolin and songs, I enjoy doing jingles for TVCs. I have also done some jingles on the FIFA World Cup. They have been aired on TV and social media. I received a lot of positive feedback for these jingles. This positivity motivated me to work harder on my future projects, no matter how big or small they are.

Why did you choose guitar as your go to instrument? Do you have any particular inspiration?

My father Matiur Rahman Chowdhury was the principal of Nazrul Academy in Narshingdi. Since our family was culturally enriched, I saw many guitarists at home. They used to go to Dhaka and talk to my father. I was very motivated to see their work and decided to learn guitar. I bought my first guitar in around 1998. M A Kader has always been my inspiration. His guitar tracks have greatly moved me. I have learnt a lot from him. It would be incomplete if I don't mention my father as my inspiration. If he wasn't there at every step of my life, my music career wouldn't have come thus far.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I believe in collective development and that's why none of my dreams exclude Chirkutt's progress. We all want to do music that touches the heart of the listeners. I also want to represent Chirkutt in international music platforms. We want Bangladesh to be called a country enrich in instrumental music. I want to do more national and international shows to spread positive messages through music.

Do you have any special message for your fans?

I would like to request my fans to listen to music of different genre. That's how they will be able to differentiate between the good and the bad. Please listen to and promote Bangla music as much as you can.