Shahid Malik and Adnan Sami

Adnan Sami: the phenomenon has been happening for the last few years around the world. His heavenly voice has been spreading peace and happiness to millions of people, bringing smiles to their faces and stirring their inner most thoughts with his own heartfelt emotions. 

Adnan relates to his audience because he has been through it all – he has been to hell and back many times, so he recognises pleasure and pain of all sorts. 

When Adnan sings, it’s not from his throat - he sings from his heart. He pours his emotions into his audience, relating to their suffering and joys. 

I developed contact with Adnan Sami through a mutual friend. For over a year we had been communicating through e-mails. It was apparent that even his electronic messages contained clarity of his thoughts and diction of his convictions. 

              Adnan Sami and his Trance 

The more I exchanged thoughts and messages with Adnan Sami, the more I wanted to meet him – to get to know this extraordinary human being. 

The moment came not too soon. He arrived in London and, although we had never met before, as soon as I reached his view, he recognized me. When we shook hands, he uttered ‘Shahid Bhai’, and I felt great that he knew me from my words and recognised me, without anyone introducing me to him in person. 

Of course I knew what he looked like but he had never seen me before so I was incredibly impressed by his perception. 

He gave me such a big hug and smiled, telling me what a pleasure it was to meet me………..whereas it really was my pleasure to meet him, but he showed his class by being down to earth. 

I was so happy to meet him that I felt like a little child, having found the biggest treasure in the whole wide world. And Adnan Sami, himself, is no less than a big treasure – physically or spiritually. 

His persona, his mannerism and his aura are just perfect. Everyone who approached him walked away happily, with big smiles on their faces.

People everywhere in London just worshipped him – he was like a God to them. They just wanted to touch him; hear his voice; see his smile and, above all, hear him sing in that magical voice. 

Adnan had a show arranged at the world famous Wembley arena in London. It holds 19000 people and his show was sold out within hours of being announced. Box office phones never stopped ringing. As a result, the organizers decided to hold another show on the following evening at the same venue, and within two hours of the announcement, that was completely sold out too. 

You could not even buy tickets at the black market. I, however, was very lucky, as I had managed to get tickets for both days, as well as back stage passes. 

It was an experience to be had: to see Adnan Sami perform, and he was truly professional. Backstage, it was difficult to hold him back – he just wanted to be with his audience. 

He was truly in form just before going onto the stage. Adnan became so oblivious to his surroundings, that you could tell that he could not wait to be with the people, just as the people could not wait to see him. 

Once on stage, he truly entertains and connects to the audience. Every move he makes is to please the people in the arena. He shifts 38,000 eyes in the arena with one move of his finger. When he pauses at the end of a song and his finger moves, so do all the eyes. And when that melodic voice pitches from low to a super high, it just makes every one sitting there go ahhhhhhhhhhh! 

I go to music concerts often but have never seen anyone but anyone command his audience the way Adnan Sami does. People are just like robots responding simultaneously to every whim and move he makes. 

This was a truly magical experience; even more remarkable was the mixture of the audience. There were true Gujaratis, there were tones of Punjabis there were Indians, Pakistanis, Bengalis, Nepalis, East Africans and a large number of English people too. 

People there worshipped him like a God. It made me realise that this would be a true chance for a mullah or a pundit to call his music blasphemy because people were really enjoying it and it made them happy…….one man on his own was making millions happy – is that not a Godly thing to do????

Any Fatwas on this??? 

After the London shows, Adnan Sami went around the UK and undertook many exciting performances. There was obviously no time to sit down and talk with him then, but once the shows were finished, it was just my luck that he stayed over for a few days. I was privileged to spend a good few hours with him talking about himself, his talent, his love, his world and his trials and tribulations. 

Adnan Sami making a point with Shahid Malik

It was not an interview because he spoke about everything from his heart. Nothing was pre-written. I devised questions as we went along and the conversation took many turns and went around the world, when I finally thought I was really pushing him too far. Adnan did not feel uneasy by the free flowing conversation, nor did he seem restricted on time scale. My only regret was not having captured that conversation on a camera……….it would have been a true testimony to a real gift from God to humanity……………ADNAN SAMI……….It does not get any better. 

I thought of a few things to ask Adnan as we went along and conversation carried on: 

AOL – You are able to fuse millions of emotions in your voice and in your music. How do you produce such a beautiful mixture? 

ADNAN – Emotions and music is all part and parcel of me. This is a natural process – I don’t plan my performance beforehand, it just happens when I am in front of people who come to listen to me. 

By the time I reach the stage I am just totally and utterly drowned into music because I want my audience to feel exactly what I feel about music, and my desire to share every note of music with them becomes the driving force and that gives me strength to mix millions of emotions with my music. 

AOL – What are your thoughts just before you go into a trance during your performance?

ADNAN – I do not know when this trance takes place all. All I remember is the music and happiness of the people, and that flips me into a trance like a phenomenon, and I just sing and relate to the melodies and then I don’t see myself. All I hear is music. 

AOL – You carry a message of love and harmony………….do you derive that from your inner peace? 

ADNAN – YES yes indeed – love and harmony go hand in hand. I derive my strengths from my own experiences in life, my own ups and downs, my own desire for love and peace, and I want my fans to share in that love and peace. 

AOL – Your talents are a phenomenon. How much of that is a gift from God and how much of it is acquired? 

ADNAN – All my abilities and talents are a gift from God. I am only serving the humanity for God has chosen me to spread happiness and love, and I feel that I am very lucky to have this gift. 

AOL – How often do you practice? 

ADNAN – Practice is an ongoing process – one never ceases to practice. Wherever I am, whatever I am doing, I am always practicing as there is always more to learn. 

AOL-Who inspires you musically and spiritually?

ADNAN-Ustad Baday Ghulam Ali, R.D.Burman, Elivs and Beatles music has a profound impact on my life. My spiritual inspiration comes from books. I love to read – I read wherever I go, whatever I do. Reading is a very large part of my life, you may call me a bookworm……… on second thoughts Shahid Bhai, you cannot call me any kind of worm….i know you too well…………………….. 

AOL-When you sing in front of an audience, do you relate instantly or does it take some time. 

ADNAN-The relationship is instant. We have one thing in common: we love beautiful music, so it never takes me long to create and develop a bond.

Hence I am able to perform with all my heart and soul. 

AOL-What are your thoughts on Love?

ADNAN-Shahid, it depends on what kind of love you talking about. I need you to clarify this question because I know what you are thinking……hahahahahahahahah. 

AOL-Honestly I was only thinking of the spiritual side of it. 

ADNAN-Love is what makes the world go around. I believe in love, I believe in humanity and I believe in sharing love and happiness with others. Life is too short to waste it on meaningless things; simple things in life create love and happiness. 

AOL-Adnan Bhai, thanks a million for such a frank and lengthy sitting. 

ADNAN –IT’S MY PLEASURE. 

AOL- I have a request to make………would you sing a note for me? 

ADNAN-YES of course………..(sings) radaa radaa radaa meri yad rakhna…..radaa dada radaa meri yad rakhna………………. 

What a beautiful note to finish it with…………..If it was not blasphemous, I would call him a God, or His prophet of peace and happiness. Just imagine how many people Adnan makes happy with his talent – with his ability – with his desire to spread good in the world………are these not tasks of a God????? 

I enjoyed sitting with him so much that I did not want to move, but all good things come to an end…… don’t they………………………