Abida Parveen is a worshipper of Sufi music: Mamta Sharma

Why did you decide to revisit the iconic

qawwali

, Nara-e-mastana? It is my all-time favourite qawwali by

Abida Parveen

ji. When I first heard it, I got mesmerised by her voice. I kept listening to it over and over. I got hooked to the

song

because of the magic of her voice. It’s a beautiful poem written by late Hazrat Wasif Ali Wasif. Though it was difficult for me to understand the meaning of the poem, I thoroughly enjoyed rendering it.

You are known for singing uptempo songs. Why did you decide to do a Sufi number? Though I’m known for my dance numbers, I have a great inclination towards Sufi songs. Whenever I am free, I listen to Sufi songs by late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan saab, Abida ji and

Wadali Brothers

, among others.

Is that the reason for paying a tribute to Abida Parveen? She is a living legend and a marvellous

singer

. I have grown up listening to her songs and learnt a lot from her. She is unmatched.

What do you think about her contribution to Sufi

music

? She lives up to the meaning of her name, Abida, which means worshipper. She is a worshiper of Sufi music. I guess she was among the first female Sufi singers who introduced the genre to the world. She has devoted her whole life for Sufi music.

How has she influenced you as a singer? The soul in her voice and the way she projects the lyrics make any song come alive. That inspired me the most. Whenever I sing Sufi numbers, I try to follow her way of projection.