Success for musician is when he is admired by other accomplished musicians, says Yasmin Rashid

By Sadaf Fayyaz Jun 26th, 2012 ( No Comment )

This multitalented artist has great taste for fine arts. Yasmin Rashid is a singer, song-writer, poet and artist. It is a name that has become synonymous with music, poetry, paintings and song writing too. Yasmin developed passion for music when she was a child and later on she went to excel in it too. That’s quite a long journey that she talks about. While talking to The News Tribe (TNT), she was like:

TNT: Tell about your childhood and music training.

Yasmin: As a child my inclination to music came naturally due to having an inborn talent as well as from the environment I was in at that point. I started my preschool in Dhaka and was surrounded by the sound of music all around me. I started singing as child in school and sometimes Radio for Kid’s program in Rawalpindi. I had no formal training as such. As I grew up and went to college, I started performing on PTV Karachi and Radio Pakistan Karachi. I got several awards during my college days. I started my classical training from Ustaad Shaukat Manzoor from Rawalpindi I have also performed on PTV Islamabad for several years. I started performing professionally now mostly doing fundraisers for educational organizations in the US. I am an artist by profession and does community counseling as well as I hold a degree in psychology and Fine arts from US.I am now on the Board of Directors for An Art gallery and I have done a few solo exhibitions as well. I donate whatever I earn from my music concerts.

TNT: What artists act as your inspiration?

Yasmin: I am inspired by Ustad Amanat Ali Khan, Mehdi Hassan, Noor Jehan, Iqbal Bano and many others.

TNT: What languages you love singing in and why?

Yasmin: I like singing in Urdu, Punjabi and Bengali. At times I sing English oldies too.

TNT: What genre of music you like and why?

Yasmin: It is Classical and semi classical.

TNT: Tell something about your current projects.

Yasmin: I am working for a few organizations. I published a book on my art and poetry in two languages for the same purpose. I do perform live here in the US often.

TNT: Do you have any desire to perform with anyone? If yes, with whom?

Yasmin: I do wish to perform with a lot of people. I have performed once in the US with Raga boys who are belong to Patiala Gharana. I got some training from their older brother Nayab Ali Khan. I would like to perform with a lot of artists like Shafqat Amanat Ali. I had a crush on Shafqat’s dad when I was a teenager

TNT: What is success for a musician according to you?

Yasmin: Success to me as a musician is when he or she is admired by other accomplished musicians. That’s where I feel I have achieved something

TNT: What is your message?

Yasmin: Be focused, stay determined and be sincere to your work. Dreams do come true. Be Pakistani to have your own identity. If you feel Pakistani in your heart, there is no way that our country will be less than anyone else’s.