Campus Buzz

Naziba Basher
Photos: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo

In 2011, young and famous singer, Kona, released a new album that not only grasped the attention of many but also hit it quite big in the music scene with a beautiful hit song, 'Dheem Tana'. One year later, with loving requests of music videos from fans, Kona released a DVD with the same title as the album, Simply Kona, with eight videos to the songs from that very album, out of ten total songs, along with one bonus track.

“I think the music video scene in our country is very hushed. We barely had any music videos up until a couple of years ago. I think the reason for that is because we barely had any music channels to begin with. With news channels starting and new music programmes and shows, music videos have finally started becoming popular, and I thought this was the best opportunity to release a DVD of the sort,” says Kona.

Kona got this idea mainly when she had gotten requests from one fan too many to make videos to her beloved songs. The one song that got most requests for is none other than 'Dheem Tana' itself.

Another reason for Kona to take an initiative of this sort is because she thinks it is important to archive old and important songs. “When one goes on an international level, it is very important to turn back to old work. When there are songs of international singers on websites like YouTube, the viewers can not only listen to the old songs but also watch a video. Most Bangladeshi artists will have just a picture with their song. I think when one is known on an international scale, it is important to have an archive of the old music as well as give the viewers more reasons to be entertained.”

Kona hadn't made this DVD in the blink of an eye. She took her time and built her patience into this ultimate success story. Kona says, “The whole thing took around a year and half to be made and released. We never shot any of it at one go. I would lead my regular life as an artist like I always have. Perform in shows, shoot for television shows and what not, and only when I would have some time and space from all of that, I would work on my own project.” She adds, “The DVD wasn't even my initial plan, to be honest. I had only wanted to make one video at the beginning. One thing lead to another, and after making two or three had I gotten the idea of compiling them into a DVD.”

Obviously, making something of this sort will need a lot of perseverance, and patience. It is not out of the ordinary that Kona has to be calm and persistent during the making of this project. “I'm a very patient person. I'm always patient with my work. For me, it's the quality of my work that matters the most, and I know that I can achieve the highest quality if I choose to do it with a sound mind. Of course, I would not have been able to do it without my sponsor- Multisourcing.”

Kona is one of those who have faith in the upcoming future of music in Bangladesh. Watching and learning, she sees the brightness that comes along with the new and fresh music scene. “I remember after the era of Miles, Dolchhut etc, there was a big gap when it came to finding another band worth really following and loving. Nowadays, a lot of new bands of the sort are emerging like Shunno and Nemesis. I'm a big fan of theirs myself!”

With new hope and fresh views, Kona embarks upon a brand new journey with her newest project and the release of her long-awaited DVD full of exciting videos for her beloved fans. Wishing for this initiative to start a trend, the music fans of Bangladesh can surely look forward to a whole new revolution in the creative scene of the country.

Find Kona's official fan page on facebook- www.facebook.com/konasinger

DID YOU KNOW?

Flo Rida

Rapper, singer and songwriter, Tramar Dillard was born on December 16, 1979 (turning 33 today!), in Carol City, Florida. His parents raised him and his seven sisters together, some of whom sang in a local gospel group. Dillard's brother-in-law was a hype man for local rap group 2 Live Crew, and while in ninth grade, Dillard formed his own amateur group with some friends called the GroundHoggz. Born and raised in Miami, the GroundHoggz formed in the 187 apartments in Carol City. Similar to Goodie Mob, they were making music for the love of the art and to feed their souls. With only three members, 1Bred, Key Lime, and Fist, they found their missing link when Flo Rida, who lived in the same apartments, spit a verse for them. They were instantly impressed. Together for eight years, they started recording at underground studios in Carver Ranches. His work with 2 Live Crew member Fresh Kid Ice attracted the attention of DeVante Swing, a member of the band Jodeci. However, he was rejected by several of the major labels, so he sought many other jobs outside of music. After graduating from high school in 1998, he studied international business management at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for two years and attended Barry University for two months. He returned to Florida to continue pursuing his music career after receiving a phone call from a representative of the independent label Poe Boy Entertainment. Dillard signed with Poe Boy in 2006, and as Flo Rida he began affiliating with other artists, such as Rick Ross, Trina, T-Pain, and Trick Daddy. A promotional street single entitled "Birthday", featuring Rick Ross, was his first significant release!

Information Source: Internet