‘Dil Ghabraye’ musician Taba Chake’s journey from country tunes to cinematic scores

‘Dil kuch kehna chahe/ Kuch keh na paaye/ Dil ghabraye kyun ghabraye…’ you close your eyes and sway your head gently as you hear him sing these lines. Suddenly, you feel like you’re far away from bustling city life and in the hills around a little hamlet. In that moment, no matter who you are and where you’re from, you listen…and connect deeply. That is the effect of singer Taba Chake’s melodies — they put you in an indescribable trance. Dil Ghabraye, from Shoojit Sircar’s latest film I Want To Talk, is just one of those dreamily powerful songs. After his performance at the first edition of Ziro On Tour at Taramati Baradari, Ibrahim Bagh, the singer recounts his melodious journey and experiences to CE.

Excerpts

What are your thoughts on Hyderabad’s music scene?

Though I grew up in a small village called Rono in Arunachal Pradesh, I was acquainted with Hyderabad in my childhood, when my history teacher — a Hyderabadi herself — told us about the culture and beauty of the city. The music scene in Hyderabad is fantastic and I absolutely loved performing here! I played a bunch of film songs from my album and some singles as well.

Take us through your journey.

Like I said, I come from a small village and was born in a Nyishi tribal family. My parents never went to school. I didn’t have the privilege of, let’s say, getting café gigs, which a musician from Mumbai or Delhi may easily do. My main way of learning was by hearing the songs they played on TV. During summer vacations I’d go to my uncle’s house, where he would play old Hindi movies and songs from cassettes. I listened to other genres as well, including jazz, rock, metal, and pop, and would pick up my guitar and practice by myself. But I never thought, ‘Oh, I want to be a touring musician’.

Life was tough due to problems at home and I was never happy. My parents sent me to a boarding school, where I didn’t have a great experience either. However, the warden and teachers there would listen to all sorts of music, and it was here that I discovered my real passion for music — I never wanted to choose another path in life. And well, here we are. Today, when Bollywood composers talk to me, they remark that I have a different story, that my music is mature and different from other independent musicians.

As a musician from Arunachal Pradesh, would you say that your music is different from other musicians in the country?

I make music in Nyishi, Hindi, English, and Assamese. I don’t have to try hard to stand out as Northeastern — no matter which language I sing in, it will always have a touch of Arunachal to it.

How was your experience making music for Shoojit Sircar’s I Want To Talk?

My hair turned grey as I was always thinking of melodies! (laughs) They kept telling me to modify and change the music according to a certain scene. But what a great learning experience it was — I did five songs and each one has a different touch to it.

How was it working with the lead of the film, Abhishek Bachchan?

The first thing I noticed is that he is very tall! (laughs) But he and everyone on the set were extremely humble and kind. I grew up watching actors like him in Bollywood movies, so this was both a nostalgic and happy experience.

What do you aim to do through your music?

For me, it isn’t just about writing a song but why I am writing that song. The purpose is very important; I don’t want overnight fame, money, or views on social media. Rather, I want my music to live on for generations to come. I want my music to change people’s perspectives on life. I just write from my heart and soul. But nowadays, artistes are not just expected to be masters of their craft but of social media as well. Well, I’m still learning how to use this social media thing! (laughs)

(Story by Nitika Krishna)