WATCH: Taher Shah Talks About His Music, His Lyrics, And Movie Offers In This Interview

Pakistani Internet sensation Taher Shah is, currently, the toast of the Interwebs. His newest single 'Angel', which dropped last Friday, has been viewed on YouTube more than a million times. The music video, which features Shah wearing robes of various hues and angel wings as he roams about what looks like the world's loneliest golf course singing about "mankind's angel", has been deemed a worthy follow-up to his 2013 hit 'Eye To Eye'.

The success of Shah's undeniably bizarre videos — set to standard-issue ballads with trite, nonsensical lyrics in broken, heavily-accented English — has spawned a number of op-eds questioning whether irony has gone too far (this piece classifies his music under 'cringe pop'). But, by and large, the Internet and various media outlets have embraced Shah's creative efforts.

On Monday, he was interviewed by Pakistani Urdu news channel Samaa TV. Here's what the man of the moment had to say.

[Note: several statements have been translated from Urdu to English]

On the success of 'Angel'

There is no doubt that 'Angel' has broken the record set by 'Eye To Eye'. The field in which I am in, it's all about entertainment, so it's all about entertaining people. So when you do a simple thing, and it appeals to people and it becomes a phenomena, then there's nothing better than that. If a good message is going out from Pakistan to the world that, yes, we can do very very entertain to people.

On whether 'Angel' is about more than just entertaining people

It's a message for the family that we should respect humanity... we should love humanity.

On how he comes up with his lyrics

This is actually creativity, thoughts... when you do something with dedication, it should show. When you do something, it should be absolutely different, I believe. I want to tell my fans that yes, I admit I take so much time, but it's necessary.

On the identities of the people in the 'Angel' video

When I'd introduced this, it was announced as a surprise. The boy in the video is my son. He's my angel. This song is for him, for his thoughts...

The woman?

[Laughs] Well, some things should remain within the family.

On his future projects

I'm considering a few options. I'm doing a Hollywood film, working on that. I keep getting offers... even during 'Eye...', I got lots and lots of offers for concerts, endorsements.... you name it. Several people have been wondering why I haven't been welcoming them and entertaining them... well, now I will be doing that... let's see what happens.

On who designed the striking costumes in his videos

Myself. Life is colourful. if you're a good person at heart, if you think good thoughts, do good deeds, than a positive gesture should go out into the world. I feel like I do different work.

On why he sings in English rather than Urdu

I make sure my lyrics are simple so that common people can understand it and like it. Urdu is our mother tongue and I feel proud of that and I have sung a song in Urdu, but I haven't made a video. But I will in the future. And there are big surprises coming up.

On offers from 'padosi mulk' (India)

Actually, I got several offers [from India] when 'Eye...' came out...movies, concerts etc. Now, I'm getting even more... [I've gotten some offers from] big banners. I'm looking at them. At this point, I won't disappoint my fans and will try and do other work outside of my own productions.

Could he, perhaps, be more specific?

[Laughs] Be patient. When the time is right, the world will know. Jab chaand nikalta hai toh duniya dekhti hai.

He ended the interview by singing, upon request, a mash-up of 'Eye To Eye' and 'Angel' minus a backing track.



We are truly not worthy.

Watch the entire interview above.




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