Shaon Chowdhury: 'Music is not something to be seen, it is an auditory experience'

With an illustrious career spanning five decades, Shaon Chowdhury has created over two hundred original compositions, showcasing his musical versatility. 

Over the years, Shaon's prowess has transcended borders, earning him accolades from countries like India, Thailand, South Korea, Nepal, Maldives, and the United Arab Emirates. Recently, he added another feather to his cap with a distinguished honour from India.

"My journey in music started with a profound love for music. I felt a genuine spiritual connection with it," Shaon said. 

Shaon was recently honoured with the "Dadasaheb Phalke" music award in Mumbai, India, last month, recognising his noteworthy contributions to music. He sees this prestigious award as a major personal milestone, although he does not think awards make a musician. 

"For a singer, two things are crucial in life. One is a melodious voice and a good vocal ability. The second is relentless practice. However, receiving an award for hard work does feel great," he said.

In Bangladesh, awards often face criticism for lacking a standard selection process. Shaon feels that in recent times there has been a decline in ethical and moral values in our society and this trend is a reflection of that,

"The music arena in Bangladesh is an integral part of society and the nation. It is not a separate entity," said Shaon.

"However, because of such criticism, some progress is still being made. In the distant future, these irregularities will not persist," he said

Shaon says the most impactful moment in his career, even more than the recent award, was receiving the blessing of the legendary Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar. He has also shared his voice with several other renowned artists in the Indian subcontinent, including Runa Laila, Sabina Yasmin, Asha Bhosle, Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik.

Over the past few years, the music scene in Bangladesh has been driven by a rat race to garner online traction. Artists are incorporating videos with their songs and releasing them on platforms like YouTube or other apps. 

Shaon believes this trend is impacting the industry negatively. 

"Music is not something to be seen; it is an auditory experience. The primary reason behind the increase in views is the visual appeal of the music videos," said Shaon

Shaon observes that, at times, the inclusion of mildly explicit scenes can boost view counts, overshadowing genuinely pleasing and melodious songs that may receive fewer views.

"Views can be artificially inflated. Therefore, the viewership system is detrimental and very undesirable when it comes to music," he expressed.

In Bangladesh, artists were once actively engaged in addressing humanitarian causes, whether local or global. However, this commitment has dwindled in recent times. 

"In the past, artists emerged from diverse cultural organisations that actively contributed to both domestic and international crises, fostering a sense of leadership. Now, with artists emerging from reality shows there is a shift in that dynamic," he said.