Beauty with brain, the gifted singer Ishraque H Anita was trained as a classical and Nazrul Geeti singer from her childhood. Anita is a versatile artist who also enjoys singing rock, pop, latin, RnB as well as hip hop. Besides her solo career, she is also the vocalist of the band Pentagon. In a conversation with Dhaka Tribune, the talented singer, who is also a doctor, shares her aspirations:
How did you start your musical career?
My med-school buddy Tahsir was the one who encouraged me to pursue music. He suggested me to sing professionally and convinced my mother that it was a great extra-curricular for a singer of my aptitude and also it will be a steady source of pocket money. From then on I have performed in many stage shows and in 2009 band Pentagon was looking for a vocalist and Tahsir, who is the keyboardist of the band put in a good name on my behalf. Our first show was very successful and from that point, I never looked back. My first solo album “Chondraloke” also came out the same year.
Being a doctor, how much did you struggle to continue as a professional singer too?
Well, to tell you the truth, I never thought I would be a professional singer. I come from a family where academic excellence is much more appreciated and music and other artistic endeavours are considered as “extracurricular” activities. My father wanted me to be a doctor and I strived to make his wish come true. I studied hard, but I could never give up on singing.
What are your recent projects?
Currently I am working on my third solo album which I am hoping to release next year. I hope that this will be as well received as my debut album “Chondraloke” and second one “Anita.” But, this year I will release one exclusive song from the album and I hope my fans will love it. They will see me in a new light through this particular song as I have never before presented myself in this avatar to my listeners.
Also, I am working on a duet with Nipo who is writing and composing songs of our joined venture. He is gifted with an innate understanding of music and I am quite lucky to have gotten the opportunity to work with him.
How welcoming is the music industry currently for the young talents?
Many talented artists are disheartened with the condition of the music industry and are unwilling to release albums as they don’t sell. It is also a discouraging factor for upcoming musicians and they are disinclined to pursue a sole music career as the future seems bleak. It is sad that many talents are wasted and put on hold for this chaotic situation.
Strict regulations should be introduced to control online piracy, through steps like this, there is still hope that circumstances will improve.