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Journalism of Courage
AT first he just enjoyed it,never taking it seriously. He was pursuing his MBA,and music was just about fun jam sessions. But the writing was always on the wall in a way, says Clinton Cerejo. Its been 17 years now,and he has followed his hearts desire to pursue music full time. At the PEC Fest in the city on Sunday for a Coke Studio @MTV session along with Nooran Sisters and Vijayprakash,Cerejo recalls the time when there was no concept of backing vocals or specialised arrangements,or even background score for that matter. In his process of self-discovery,Cerejo became a sought-after vocal arranger working with AR Rahman,Shankar Ehsaan Loy,Vishal-Shekhar and Salim-Suleiman. Vocal arrangers are like cinematographers. They study harmonies,scale,notes,and then layer it up, he says.
A name that has slowly and steadily risen in the music industry through jingles,scores and playback,Cerejo came into spotlight with the last two seasons of Coke Studio @MTV,giving it hits such as Madari,Baina,Marghat,Kalapi and Pinjra. The show is like a blank canvas; one can paint anything. My aim was to weave the traditional tapestry of music with a contemporary thread,making it more appealing to the younger generation,hence the fusion. In its absence,the music wouldve restricted to classical purists, says Cerejo,adding how its one platform that plays instantly across the country.
The shows reach is amazing, he says. That it suffered from comparison with its Pakistani counterpart in the first season is true. Season one,the burden was on one person and it was challenging. So,in season two and now in the third one,I wanted to make music that best represented my country, says Cerejo,who discovered singers such as Sawan Khan. If his music comes from the core,he makes sure the lyrics compliment it. I love Manoj Yadavs lyrics for Coke Studio @MTV,they are so beautifully penned that Vishal Bhardwaj called him the Gulzar of today. I just cant get myself to make music for raunchy item numbers, he says.
Working with new artistes,and discovering new music and voices keeps him charged. So does creating background score for films,something that is getting popular in our cinema. Its a perception that we need songs. Agreed,song is the king,but a background score carries and connects,moves and rocks a film. It has the power to add intensity and amplify a scene. For instance,we did the score for Kahaani and it came to be the strength of the film, says Cerejo,who is now working on Dedh Ishqiya.
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