By Aparmita Das | SHILLONG:
It takes courage to open up about traumas to others, and especially when it’s a case of domestic violence involving family, it is like reliving your trauma when narrating your ordeal to others. But more often than not, victims find solace in music and their stories of endurance and subsequent fightbacks become inspirations for musicians to create uplifting songs. Shillong-based artiste George Shadap has a similar background for his new song Husiar.
Released on May 21, the word “Husiar” translates into “beware” in English. “This song is special to me as it is inspired and dedicated to a friend, who is a victim of domestic abuse and is on the path to regain freedom,” says George, speaking to The Meghalayan. He further expressed hope that the song will comfort his friend and many other victims of domestic abuse. “Hopefully, other victims will be able to relate to the song and attain some sort of comfort in it,” he added.
Elaborating on the central theme of the song, George informed that Husiar is about inspiring people and strengthening their resolve to fight back against domestic abuse. “In life, there will be situations when people would try to pull us down. During such times, we might feel hopeless and lost, but that’s when it’s important to take charge of our lives and get back on our feet. And this is all about that,” said George.
Along with Shadap, Husiar also features artiste Larry Mark Lamin alias Kidmarkk. A student at St. Anthony’s College pursuing his Bachelor’s degree, Kidmarkk, when it comes to his choice of music, usually sticks to R&B and pop but George said Husiar pulled him out of his comfort zone. “Even he is excited to see how the song fairs and what the public thinks of it,” added George.
Husair’s music has been produced by Baniainehskhem Lyngdoh aka Bandit, a 19-year-old music producer/DJ. “The genre for Husiar is different from all the other songs that Bandit has produced so far. It was indeed stressful for him to produce something which is new to him, but for Bandit as well, it was a fun and exciting experience,” says George.
Apart from them, the team also consisted of Sandy S Kharmawphlang, Sawbor Pathaw, Christopher Pathaw and Joelan Pariat, who collectively helped George bring his vision for the song to life.
It won’t be wrong to call George a multifaceted artiste. Reason? Before venturing into tunes, lyrics and beats, he was a professional model for five years. But music, which used to be his “stressbuster” and a kind-of hobby, got the best of him.
“I had written songs but never thought I would have the opportunity to release them. Modelling, however, was something I discovered after coming to Shillong. I came across an ad for a pageant in 2015, participated in it and found it enjoyable. From then on, I’ve been active in the field,” the singer informs.
It was only when the pandemic struck in 2020 and the country was placed under lockdown that George got time to get back to his old diaries and found the songs he had penned, many years ago. “
“I decided to take a chance and release them. As corny as I may sound, I just wanted my music to be heard. After receiving love and encouragement from the audience and people around me, I found my purpose in life – to make music,” he said.
Even though modelling was what gave him the confidence to come forward and showcase his talents, George now feels more drawn toward music. “Making a song requires a lot of hard work and now, I put most of my time, my thoughts and ideas into it. The songs that come out from it all are a part of who I am and are quite precious to me,” the artiste says.
Following the release of Husiar, George is already in the process of making a few more songs. One of which will be his first solo and the other, a duet with his brother, Sunny Bosco Shadap.
“I have been able to continue making music because people are enjoying and relating to my songs. This gives me inspiration and I hope to continue doing what I do,” he says.