Najam Sheraz is one of the most prolific musicians from Pakistan. Music, to state a cliché, has always been Najam Sheraz’s true passion. His fascinating career includes a wide range of albums and singles that are considered to be anthems worldwide.

Being a true artiste, Najam Sheraz believes in the philosophy that spreading peace and harmony through music is a greater (and far more gratifying) cause than simply composing music for entertainment. He believes that this generates music that is truly long-lasting. This is the reason why he is still growing as a musician ever since he began his musical journey in 1994 and today is the only Pakistani artiste other than the legendary Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan to feature in the original soundtrack of a major Hollywood production. He has featured on the original soundtrack of Twentieth-Century Fox movie Split Wide Open.

Says Najam, “I have always been very prolific. In 12 years I have had 9 albums and many singles. In this self-titled album, all my musicians are from Karachi but the production has been done in England.”

Najam is based in Karachi but India is very close to him. “It’s just a 80-minute flight from Karachi to Mumbai,” he points out. “I have always wanted not just my country and yours at peace but the entire world too. I think that songs that speak of peace and harmony make for big songs.”It is just recently that Najam’s Hum bole mohabbat ki zubaan has been used in one of the biggest campaigns for peace by Mobilink, the leading mobile network in Pakistan.

When not doing music, Najam is making documentaries worldwide. “I also do stage shows for the cause and also interact with various religious heads and heads of nations. I directed a much-appreciated BBC film on extremism and Islam.”

Najam says that his globetrotting and continuous interaction with musicians and cultures across the world allows him the privilege of seeing different cultures from close quarters and spotting the common positive aspects of each.

“There are a lot of wonderful things in Indian culture, for example, like equality in lifestyles that is much less in Pakistan. The Pakistani lifestyle is humbler and without unnecessary lavishness. And there are things about us and our culture that Indians need to know too, which can only be possible by going there. In India, people have very threadbare knowledge about Pakistani culture.”

He admits that a lot of misconceptions about his nation and people have been formed by past and present history. “The West does have a mindset about us, but they need to know a lot of things.”

Najam takes a lot of justified pride in playing this role of a bridge between human beings, and yes, contrary to accepted thinking, he has been appreciated even at home. Says Najam, “I have been awarded in Pakistan in addition to winning two Congressional awards in the West.”

Has he been actually studying other religions and their texts? “Of course,” he replies. “I have studied the Bhagwad Gita and the Bible and have had fruitful discussions on Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism. Once again there is so much common ground. We are all having the same wants.”

Music helps bridge the common ground and create more respect for each other, feels the singer. “Rather than with a speech, there is more confidence that whatever I say with music will ring a bell.”

In a rare first, Najam is the singer’s original release in India. “It has fresh tracks not yet released anywhere. In fact, the Pakistani audio release was a week after the Indian. It has been released there on Geo TV, which is the biggest television channel as well as publication house and music label.”

Najam is very happy with Frankfinn Music for their support and excellent marketing. “The video is a first of its kind,” says Najam. “Directed by Shareen Mantri, it has a socially-relevant theme of molestation of teenage girls by step-parents. The second video will be shot in London and all the tracks are in Urdu and Hindi with a smattering of English in a song or two.”

For someone so prolific, Najam was lying low since his last album almost four years ago. “I did make two spiritual albums, but otherwise I waited because I wanted my new album to stand out sound-wise and expression-wise. So I took a trip to England and got it recorded there when I finally felt that I was on to a good thing. And now it is challenging to launch an album in India where a film soundtrack is released every two days and basic albums have to compete with them.”

The compositions on the album depict an amalgamation of various genres - Eastern classical and folk, rock, funk and even blues. “This album is an extension of my personality. It is an assortment of thought-provoking numbers, ballads and other genres,” the singer says. “The lead track Khwabon ke rishtey talks about incomplete relationships and setbacks in love and life. The track Dil tumhara bhi hai is a Hindi-English love ballad with the famous Natalie Williams, while Mahiya deals with universal women’s empowerment with the everlasting story of Heer-Ranjha as the backdrop.”

Renowned musicians feature on the album, led by Chris Eaton as co-producer and pianist (he has worked with Cliff Richards, Amy Grant, Jessica Simpson and Janet Jackson), Miles Bould, a legendary percussionist (who has done many tours and recording sessions with Sting, Michael Jackson, Cher, Tina Turner, The Sugababes and Beyonce), Dan Wheeler, a phenomenal sound creator with guitars, Mark Edwards, Jazz musician and a programmer, Paul Evans on Drums, Matt Weeks and Collin on Bass and Colin Walker who engineered and recorded all live instruments along with Paul Burton being the mixing engineer.

Najam isn’t keen on composing for Hindi films. “I don’t think I can do justice to them, because a film’s composer is trained for such a medium. I compose for myself. I do session more than singing in the studio. But I would definitely sing if called for a a Hindi film. In fact, I have sung Yeh pal in Kalyug for Anu Malik and also worked with Pritam on the promo track of Tu hi meri shab hai from Gangster.”

But interestingly and ironically for Najam’s self-critique, one of the biggest hits in the last five years, Bheege honth tere from Murder was a reworking of his own cult song Menu tere naal!

Explains Najam candidly, “The track was initially taken without my permission. But what I liked was that the Bhatts came to me and admitted to it and wanted to legalise matters, so I looked on it as a positive step and agreed immediately. I told them that I did not want money but just due credit. And the Bhatts actually flew me to Mumbai and released its promotional video with me in it. They even signed a proper contract with me and issued a press release.”