Habib Wahid – A Star on the Bangladeshi Music Scene
Habib Wahid, better known as just Habib, was destined to become an international music star, and the pride of Bangladesh. His father, Ferdous Wahid, was a legendary Bangladeshi musician during the 70’s and 80’s, and Habib was exposed to the world of music from a very young age. Habib was fortunate enough to be able to attend the School of Audio Engineering, located in London, where he was exposed to the technology available to musicians and to British born Bangladeshis that shared his passion for music.
The music produced by Habib Wahid is energetic, lively and listeners cannot resist the urge to dance or tap their feet. He combines traditional Bengali folk songs with modern rhythms and beats, and incorporates rap, hip-hop and a bit of reggae into his remixes. Remixes were never a goal for this Bangladeshi musician, but breathing new life into the songs from yesteryear has proved to be a staggering success. Young and old alike, either relive old memories or become acquainted with the songs that are the foundation of the music culture in Bangladesh. Habib strives to create his own original remix to the songs, and resists listening to the original for longer than thirty seconds. This protects him from being influenced by the beats and original versions, leaving him to experiment and capture the song in a new form.
Habib works with many different vocalists, but started with a London restaurant owner while in college. The restaurant owner, Kaya, worked with Habib on his first album, which was called ‘Krishno’. It wasn’t until they had witnessed the great response and growing interest that Habib realized how great the need for his music really was. Other albums soon followed, featuring vocalist such as Julie, Balam, Helal, Nirjhor, Konica and Kaya. The album ‘Maya’ was released in 2004, ‘Moina Go…’ in 2005 and 2006 saw the release of ‘Shono!’
Between touring and working on various projects Habib is kept busy continuously. He would like to release his own album one day with himself as vocalist, but is not putting any pressure on himself. Habib hopes that his music will continue to reach out to the public in Bangladesh and those who live abroad. He has taken his stardom in his stride, and attributes his success to his devoted and supportive parents. His belief that there are many talented singers walking the streets of Bangladesh has inspired him to go in search of new talent. Being dedicated to his own career while remaining loyal to his country and the problems undiscovered musicians face, is testament to the wonderful nature and caring heart of this international star.
