The Nooran Sisters, Jyoti and Sultana, talk about switching music genres and how it has enabled them to exceed their limits. By Team Viva
As the area reverberated with the sound of Nooran Sisters singing Allah Waleyan Di Jugni, it became evident why scholars connect the term sufi to safi (meaning pure). The vibe at DLF Mall of India’s open space was surreal as the audience swayed in sync with the hypnotic tunes under the moonlit sky. The evening balanced mysticism with new-age sounds as the duo’s singing playlist ranged from popular Sufi Kalams and Punjabi folk to some Bollywood numbers.
Their powerful rustic vocals and a mesmerising Sufi singing prowess appeal across different age groups have made Jyothi and Sultana Nooran universal favourites. The two credit their entire success to their father, with whom their relationship hasn’t changed a bit since childhood. “A father remains a father. He has been our teacher and still watches our whole performance and scolds us too if need be,” says Jyoti and laughs.
Making a living as a musician can be tough especially for independent artists. And who knows this better than the Nooran Sisters? Jyoti says, “If we talk about success in any field of art, if youngsters channelise their energy towards their work appropriately, success will certainly kiss their feet. There is no place for laziness. All you need is passion and dedication.”
From performing at the Dhaka International Folk Fest, to mastering the Sham Chaurasia gharana music and making a debut in Bollywood playback singing, the sisters have had quite a journey. Of course, a lot has changed along the way. “As artists, we have grown a lot. We recognise our efforts and want to sustain them. If we talk about changes, of course, the music patterns have evolved to keep pace with people’s music preferences. Different genres have come up and each one has its own importance. For us, various remixes of our independent albums will continue to be made. And not to forget, it has been quite a transition from classical singing to Bollywood music,” says Sultana.
She feels that composers in the Hindi music industry today are well aware of their style and taste of singing. “They have never stopped us from singing with gusto. The composition is made according to our tone and tenor. We have always felt great singing for Bollywood films. We have sung simpler genres in films but that does not change our forte as independent classical artists. And all our songs inspire us to create more happy music. Memories from Bollywood have been special,” adds Jyoti.
With the rise in hip hop and rap culture, it might seem that Sufi and classical singing are losing their charm. “How can an art form that represents spirituality be lost?” questions Jyoti and adds that Sufi has various styles and variations, which make it lively and evergreen. Sultana adds, “Sufi can never lose its charm. It is like smoke from incense sticks which keeps spreading even after the flame is snuffed out and spreads its scent throughout. And Western music is like a candle, which stops spreading light after a whiff of air. Also, those who know the essence of Sufi, make sure they maintain its traditions and values intact. They want others to get connected to music too. So Sufi can never die.”
The sisters have added various Western instruments in their music compositions but exploring a new genre is still awaited. “Instruments do not change with genres. Changes in the instrumentational complexity are related to the number of artists contributing to that style,” says Sultana.
