Zubeen Garg’s fusion of folk and modern music made him a youth icon

Guwahati, Sep 20 (PTI) The fusion of folk with contemporary music with a deep understanding of people's evolving taste had made singer-composer Zubeen Garg a youth icon for generations and his sudden death in Singapore has left Assam heartbroken.

From ‘Anamika’ to ‘Mayabini’, ‘Hiya Diya Niya’ to ‘Pakhi’, the innumerable melodies of Zubeen have echoed through the streets and lanes of the state since the news of his death broke on Friday afternoon.

Parents joined their children and teachers stood with their students in mourning the popular singer-music composer, whose creations transcended age, class and hearts.

"There were three aspects that came together to make Zubeen unique and give him that ability to appeal beyond age barriers," senior journalist and singer-composer Gautam Sharma told PTI.

First was his unparalleled blend of folk music from across the North East—up to Myanmar—alongside Assamese and Indian modern music, fused with Western harmonies and melodies, Sharma maintained.

Zubeen’s folk-based vocals and immaculate pronunciations was another aspect of his songs, he added.

"The third and very important fact was that Zubeen knew what the young generation wanted. He had his finger on their pulse. And that’s why he remained a ‘youth heartthrob’ till the time of his death at 52 years of age," Sharma said.

"He knew how to combine folk with modern, while keeping it appealing for all and it made him popular across generations," the senior journalist who had known Zubeen closely over the years maintained.

He underlined another aspect of Zubeen that gave him a cosmopolitan view of the world.

"His father was a bureaucrat and the family travelled to different parts of the Northeast. Zubeen was born in Tura (hills of Meghalaya), spent part of growing years in Tamulpur and Barak Valley, and then in Jorhat. He later shifted to Guwahati and also made Mumbai a second base. These varied experiences made him understand and present his songs with a universal appeal," Sharma said.

Another facet of Zubeen that endeared him to newer generation was encouraging young people who came to take up music as a profession.

Sharma, whose lyricist-composer son Rahul Gautam had worked with the singer, said, "Zubeen, who was my contemporary in age, lent voice to songs penned by veterans of the state as well as newcomers. He gave platform to upcoming musicians and which further kept him in sync with the changing trends." This seamless integration of tradition with modernity is what brought families together in grief—each member feeling the loss in their own way.

"Each of his song struck a different note. From the lure of ‘Mayabini’ to the calmness of his later compositions, the lyrics spoke directly to our hearts, with his voice bringing it across," a retired government employee, Prodip Tamuli, of Jorhat said.

Zubeen’s songs taken together with his public personality of a straight-forward person who didn’t mince his words added another layer for his followers.

"His fearlessness was an attraction. The way he spoke directly appealed to us all. His death has left a big void," Tamuli added, as he prepared for a memorial for Zubeen at their village in Bebejia on Sunday after the mortal remains reach Assam.

Echoing the pain of Tamuli, his daughter Ritushna said, "We have lost so many artistes and I have grieved for them. But with Zubeen da’s death, the loss feels personal." “His songs are a constant in our lives, in celebration, in sorrow, in travel, in solitude,” the Guwahati-based homemaker said.

Recalling her earlier days in Mumbai, she said friends who had met Zubeen always described him as kind and approachable.

"I didn’t meet him there, but all those who knew him would vouch for how helpful he was, with no airs." “I had a first-hand experience with him when I saw him seated alone in an eatery in Guwahati many years ago. I approached him for a selfie and he clicked it himself,” she added.

While Zubeen may not be physically present anymore, his songs and creations will continue to bind and inspire generations to come. PTI SSG SSG MNB