In an exclusive chat with Daily Times, the musician talks about his upcoming song ‘Darmiyan’ which is about unfulfilled love
Has he done it again? Has Qamar Saleem found another threshold to cross?
After months of keeping a relatively low profile, focusing on work, health and family while always making sure to connect with his fans, it may have seemed to the general public that maybe Qamar might have reached a creative impasse. But that couldn’t be further from the truth as Pakistan’s unique music artiste with a purpose is back once again and yes, with another first-of-its-kind production to wow us all – the first-ever animated music video by any artist from Pakistan and across the region.
We were able to get an exclusive interview with Qamar, just before the release of his eagerly awaited sixth song.
Qamar, can you tell us about your next song and like your other song, what is the key message?
My sixth song “Darmiyan” touches on unfulfilled love. Drawing inspiration from epic literary works that are fast going extinct, I have created a space to examine “Darmiyan”, through telling of a love story through characters carefully crafted. I also hope to spread the message to the younger generations to not let technology and modernization get in the way of exposing our minds to great literary works of art spanning over centuries having roots in our cultural heritage. Creativity is cultivated through the appreciation of art, books and of course, music.
"We were able to get an exclusive interview with Qamar, just before the release of his eagerly awaited sixth song"
While we know no one like spoilers, but can you please tell us a bit about the storyboard?
Just to give you a sneak preview, this story is a concocted fantasy romance, condensed into one song and a music video. The premise is simple enough, even possibly cliché but effective, nonetheless. Two star-crossed lovers are fatally mismatched, yet love binds them together in what turns out to be a mystical adventure. Despite less-than-ideal circumstances, the two cannot bring themselves to part ways and risk everything for a fate unknown.
That seems really intriguing! How to you think the theme of would Darmiyan connects to people?
For some of us, if not all, this may hit a little close to home. Not only from romantic aspect but also from our pursuit of goals. That is “Darmiyan”, depiction of something that still hangs in-between, unfulfilled, and haunting.
Can you tell us about lyrics, who wrote them and how do they connect to the melody of Darmiyan?
The lyrics, skillfully crafted by Peer Zahoor, are simple yet beautiful and full of expression. And although the English translation has taken a little artistic license in its interpretation, the effect is still the same. It is heartfelt, honest and heartbreakingly vulnerable. The music is haunting, at times, forceful and yet, subtly hopeful. Coupled with the groundbreaking animation music video, which is truly the first of its kind in the region, “Darmiyan” is definitely not to be missed.
We are all really excited, so what is the launch date of Darmiyan?
“Darmiyan” will be set to drop Friday, the 21st of October 2022 on all major music and video streaming platforms. Months of hard work has gone into this song and hope people enjoy this one-of-a-kind production!