“An artiste should find their own style instead of following directly into the footsteps of their teacher, because no two performers can be alike”
“Two roads diverged in a wood and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference”
– Robert Frost
Robert Frost’s account of choosing between two roads is symbolic of how life is laid out for us all. Like the poet, some may sigh thinking that the grass was greener on the other side, but for others, the road ‘less’ travelled might just be the exact place where they need to be.
From an engineer to a musician, Shaik Salekin’s journey into the path of music has indeed ‘made all the difference.’ His memories of watching Artcell’s George Lincoln D’ Costa play the guitar has served as a stepping stone in his career.
Even to this day, Salekin deems Lincoln as one of his musical inspirations. “Lincoln was my brother’s friend and he would come over to our house and cover songs by Michael Jackson. I used to listen to songs back then but I wasn’t hooked to music that much. Later, my interest developed watching him and one of my cousin’s play songs like Don’t You Cry by Guns N’ Roses,” he reminisces.
He also looks up to music giants in the West, such as John Petrucci, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, B.B King as well as Mark Knopfler. “Although I was into heavy metal, my attention gradually shifted to other genres as well,” says Salekin.
Alongside engineering, Salekin has also immersed himself in philosophy and social science and upon studying all of these in detail, he understands now that music is basically a bond. “All these genres work as an energy; thus not everyone will be able to enjoy it. Jazz for instance is a form which requires extensive knowledge, because what is soothing to me is noise to someone else,” points out Salekin.
Thus, the more he ages, the more he becomes a ‘genre-free’ person. “I’m trying to learn from various types of music, such as African chants, tribal music, Chinese folk music, Indian and Bengali classical music as well as Iranian. I try to understand the emotions they try to evoke among the audience,” Salekin explains.
Music aside, Salekin has found other ways of channelling his creativity and inspirations. In fact, he finds himself more expressive as a speaker as well. “When I speak to a certain group of people I use music as a tool; I engage in musical exercises for positive reinforcements. I don’t see myself as a ‘motivational speaker,’ rather I like to address myself as a storyteller, since I share my own stories. Some people are inspired, some are entertained and that is what I enjoy the most,” says an elated Salekin.
Over the years, Salekin has imparted his skills and knowledge among those who look up to him. At his guitar school Da Capo, Salekin shares with his students a thing or two about playing the guitar. But while he’s at it, he stresses on the fact that originality is the key to becoming a gifted musician.
“An artiste should find their own style instead of following directly into the footsteps of their teacher, because no two performers can be alike. Artistry is something that evolves from lifestyle and surroundings, so as a teacher, I feel it is my duty to guide my students to cultivate their skills in order to bring out their very best,” he shares.
By the end of the conversation, Salekin looks back to how music happened for him and the multifaceted musician swells up with pride by saying, “I walked into this industry as the manager for my band 12AM and eventually, I took up the guitar and vocals for the band. When 12AM went into hiatus for some time, I joined the band Lalon. While performing, it was thrilling to take up a challenge everyday by improvising and evaluating whether or not things will go according to my plans. It also made me understand the things I need to do in order to be a better composer. Moreover, this is the place which gave me a taste of creative freedom.”