5 minutes with Omran Shafique

Coke Studio and Mauj go on, while Omran has parted ways with Uth Records… Instep Today gets the lowdown on the most nuanced guitar player in the business today
Maheen Sabeeh
Karachi

It is hard to ignore the musical might of Omran Shafique. When he’s not playing guitars for Coke Studio, he is performing live with the likes of Ali Azmat or jamming with musicians like Gumby. From producing season one of the new youth-based music reality show Uth Records to winning the Best Artist award at the recently concluded Lux Style Awards to having a beautiful baby girl, 2011 has been the year of Omran Shafique. In a small conversation with Instep Today, Omran reveals the joy of being a father and why he won’t be a part of the new season of Uth Records…

Instep Today: You couldn’t perform at the Lux Style Awards even though you had agreed to perform at first. What happened?

Omran Shafique: I was all for performing at the Lux Style Awards but we prefer not to lip-sync and it seemed that was the only way we could do it. Additionally, I was rehearsing for another show in India with Meesha and Javed Bashir in Lahore at the time so the timing was off.

Instep Today: What happened with this show?

Omran Shafique: We were invited to play at Farid Kot in India at a folk festival with Meesha and Javed Bashir. Rehearsals went great. Unfortunately, visa complications prevented me from crossing the border. We are planning a few more shows in India and hopefully, they will happen without any more hitches.

Instep Today: You played with Ali Azmat in Karachi at the Expo Center a little while ago; how did it go?

Omran Shafique: It was a corporate gig, as is the case these days. Apart from a few university shows, almost all shows are corporate gigs. This one happened to be a Microsoft event, and the show was great. Enthusiastic crowd, great stage and setup, Noori rocked and we had a great time!

Instep Today: How has becoming a father changed your outlook on life?

Omran Shafique: Having a baby has intensified everything. All the joy and happiness in my life, plus my fears and insecurities have definitely magnified. It’s definitely changed my lifestyle. I’m not known for being a morning person, but getting up at 6 a.m. is the norm these days. And I do it happily.

Instep Today: Did Mauj’s win at the Lux Style Awards surprise you?

Omran Shafique: Yes, I was surprised. Mostly because I wasn’t sure what the win signified. Initially, I thought the award was for something along the lines of Best Album, which made sense since there were so few major releases last year. But Best Artist was weird since things have been quiet on the Mauj front. I’ve been so busy with all my other projects that the band has gone into hibernation.

However after further reading into why the music awards were so strangely named at the Lux Style Awards, I’m totally cool with it.

Instep Today: What’s next for Mauj?

Omran Shafique: I think the next step is to write new material, which I’m in the process of doing, and get the album recorded. That should at least give me some incentive to start playing live shows again.

Instep Today: What’s happening with Mauj right now? Where is the rest of the band?

Omran Shafique: The band has been busy getting on with life. (Mohsin)Atif is a proud father of two rambunctious boys and currently enjoying his life in Houston. Shuja (Yasin) recently got married and also plays drums with a local band in Houston. Sikandar (Mufti) and I still work together on various projects. He is still active with co-VEN and Coke Studio.

Instep Today: If most members of Mauj are in the United States, how is the band still together?

Omran Shafique: The band hasn’t been the original ‘album’ line-up since I moved back to Pakistan. Atif and Shuja reside in the US along with Dennis Harvey. Those were the main guys who played and worked on the album. I enlisted the co-VEN boys when I moved back. Since I have moved to Karachi, the rest of the members have been in constant flux. For the next album, I will come up with rough ideas for the songs and then rehearse with various musicians so they can be sussed out. This was kind of how the first album happened as well.

Instep Today: Is a second season of Uth Records on the cards? What can we expect from it?

Omran Shafique: There is a new Uth Records season coming up. Unfortunately due to budgetary constraints, I wasn’t able to be a part of it. I’m sure it will kick ass, and I wish Gumby and Zeeshan and everyone working on it the best of luck!

Instep Today: Are budgetary constraints the only reason you’ve pulled out of Uth Records?

Omran Shafique: Well, initially budget concerns, but I felt it would be a good time to try doing something else.

Instep Today: And finally, now that Coke Studio is over, how challenging was season four for you?

Omran Shafique: The biggest challenge for me, as with all previous Coke Studio seasons, was to set aside my Western influences and try to get a deeper understanding of the immensely soulful musical traditions we have here on the Subcontinent. It’s not an easy task. I am still woefully ignorant of the intricacies involved, but each year brings greater understanding.