His was a smashing debut as a playback singer. The song Chaanthu kudanjoru… composed by Vidyasagar topped music charts in 2005. Although Shahabaz Aman has rendered only a few songs for films since, he is not complaining.
The musician, who has to his credit hits such as Ishtamallee… (Chocolate) and Kaayalinarike… (Annayum Rasoolum), has won Kerala State Film Award for his song Mizhiyilninnum… (Mayaanadhi).
Shahabaz, busy as a singer at live shows, says, “I believe you are a true singer only when you perform well at live shows. These days anyone can become a playback singer through digital support. But, on stage, you have to bank only on your talent; there won’t be any software available to help you when you go out of tune.”
A self-taught musician, Shahabaz has composed for films such as Indian Rupee (Ee puzhayum…), Pakal Nakshathram (Pakaruka nee…) and Spirit (Maranamethunna nerath…). However, some of his finest works as a composer, haven’t reached out to a wide audience as those songs were for non-film albums.
Albums like Alakalkku prove his skills as a composer. He has turned Malayalam poems by poets such as Madhavikutty, Satchidananandan, Kadammanitta, D. Vinayachandran, Rosemary and Rafeeq Ahamed, into lovely melodies such as Orila…, Alayothungiya… and Ottumurangatha… and has also done an album of ghazals written by ONV.
“I am currently working on another non-film album and I have composed a song for the film Sudani from Nigeria, which will be released later this month,” he says, signing off.
