Q. How did you get interested in music?
A: My parents were interested in music. So they encouraged me to get into it full-time.

Q. Did you have any formal training in music?
A: Yes. Pandit Govind Prasad who was also from Gwalior trained me. In fact I learnt from number of teachers. I learnt to play the harmonium and violin as well.

Q. Who were your musical influences?
A: My favourite singer has always been Mohd Rafi. Besides old Hindi films, various ghazal artists influenced me a lot.

Q. How did you get your first commercial break?
A: Late Mohammad Shafi Niazi, who worked with Venus as their Urdu PRO, heard me singing. Then he guided me to become a better singer technically. He taught me how to sing with a microphone and other things, which are important in recording. He made me do a cover song called Sajda Rab Ko, which was appreciated and then Tum To Tehre Pardesi happened.

Q. Did you expect your debut album to do so well?
A: To be honest, yes. I expected it to do so well because I was always confident about my singing. I introduced a fast ghazal style, which was unique. Otherwise it’s not common that a song, which is 14 and ½ minute long, does well.

Q. You have a very stylish way of dressing, where does all this fashion come from?
A: Actually I have a degree in fashion designing from the Dadar Commercial College. I feel that I should look different from others, that’s why I design my clothes myself and stylishly.

Q. Tell us something about your personal life.
A: I am a simple person. I have a great family of 2 brothers and 2 sisters beside me. I try to enjoy every moment of life. I am happy where I am and don’t want money or anything. Being a good singer satisfies me enough.

Q. Tell us something about your latest album Dil Ke Tukde Hazaar Huye.
A: Well I would like everyone to listen to the album and decide for themselves.

Q. What are your future plans?
A: Well the latest album is doing pretty well. I have a lot of shows lined up and other promotional activities.

Q. What about the next album, anything ready yet?
A: Nothing is being done right now for another album. But I can assure you that whenever it comes out, it will be a surprise.

Q. With so much fusion music and world music happening, do you think the traditional styles such as ghazals and qawwalis have a future?
A: I agree a lot of people are experimenting and creating new sounds. I believe that one should experiment in a limit and should stick to the basics and the traditional sounds mainly. If you see the music from the last one year then you’ll notice that those songs which were essentially Indian did well. Therefore ghazals and qawwalis will always stay as they are close to the Indian people on the whole.

Q. What does music means to you personally?
A: If I can describe it in a sentence then I’ll say that music is like worshipping God.

Q. Advice to aspiring singers and musicians?
A: There is an ancient saying which goes, ‘‘Success comes close to them, who climb till the end”.