‘I still find myself at the edge of the canvas’: Lucky Ali on completing 30 years of singing

Lucky Ali’s upcoming Safarnama Tour celebrates his completion of 30 years in music — his first song Walking All Alone appeared in the 1978 film, Ek Baap Chhe Bete. He also turned 60 on September 19. But the singer is nonchalant about the milestones and retorts with a “Really?” when one points this out to him. He says, “I was singing before that and doing it today as well, except that now I have more musical toys to play with, including my own studio.” He is known to be a vagabond and about his personal journey, he avers, “I’ve been to more places than I ever thought I’d travel to. So, along with the customary tool, which is my guitar, I still find myself at the edge of the canvas. It’s a pretty large one and there’s a vast expanse left to discover yet.” Ahead of the tour, he answers a few questions...

It’s about now

Lucky’s debut album Sunoh (1996) released during the MTV era when Indipop was flourishing. What does he miss the most about those days? “I went to places and associated with all kinds of people. Those events must have had some kind of an influence on me, it’s just that I kind of lost interest in the whole idea on the way, and sought to find my own expression. Along with creativity, I started an association in areas of my own deep interest like agricultural management, re-forestry, etc. That has let the musical notes vibrate peacefully. So, the melodies and ideation are about ‘now’ and not about ‘then’,” he explains. 

Upcoming album

The O Sanam hitmaker announced his album with Israeli musician Eliezer Botzer a while ago. When does it release? “I’m really happy for the collaboration album with Eliezer and Bob Stark productions of Ohio and plan to release the project in the forthcoming months,” he says. One song that his fans should watch out for is the one that he’s singing with his daughter Tasmiyah, who’s a pretty nifty singer herself. He says, “Tasmiyah’s voice touches my heartstrings. The track has us as a father-daughter duo singing in Arabic and English and Eli and his daughter Ayana Botzer singing the Hebrew parts.”

Music runs in the family

Lucky tells us that while Tasmiyah doesn’t sing his songs, she knows them. “She has her own expression — be it musical, writing, painting or cooking (which I’m partial to),” he tells us. His other kids are just as muscially inclined. “My son Ta’awwuz writes and composes his music and has his own set-up in New Zealand. Sara is just about discovering her voice and likes craft. Raiyaan is also musically-inclined and is in the process of discovering his new musical instrument. Dani goes to drama school in England. And just like that, we go on about our lives,” he reveals. So, what’s the one advice he always gives them as musicians and people? “Baba’s only advice to them, or anyone, is — don’t forget to be grateful for this life for everything we have and everything that we don’t,” he signs off.

When: October 6, 7:30 pm 
Where: Shanmukhananda Hall, Sion East