It was a great!
Although I had to wake up early on my off day, I was still enthusiastic and looking forward to the interview.

Now, I'm twenty-three, and I still want to make a difference.

I am never comfortable being the centre of attention, that's just who I am. I hate being in the limelight; it makes my stomach acid turn to butterflies. Back in school many, many, many years ago, I prefer to let others step forward to bask in glory, while I sit back, smile and enjoy their success.

And I guess that is precisely why being a percussionist is who I really am. A percussionist is never the centre on attention. More often than not, the singer or the violinist or the rapper or the guitarist fronts the attention the most. But, there is just something in a percussionist that is indispensable to any form of music.

Couple of days later, it was good news for me!
I had the chance to interview Ken Lim (music producer and S.I judge) and be on MTV's Pop Inc at the same time.

A percussionist sets the rhythm,
the beat,
the pulse,
the feel,
the groove,
the mood of the music.

And a percussionist looks on happily, from the back.

When Ripplevox called me up and asked if I wanted to interview some artistes that will be performing at WOMAD, my first question was, "Why me?" Apparently, my interest in world music was what got me selected.

Well, world music is to me, music.
Just that.
Simple.

I enjoy being able to experience any form of music,
be it Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan,
overtone singers from Mongolia,
farmer drummers from Korea,
Sergio Mendez,
Britney Spears,
Yanni,
Westlife,
or the Black Eyed Peas.

I love 'em all.

Because I feel,
music is a way of life.

I believe that every second of your life,
every emotion that you feel,
every step you take,
every moment that you think,
has a soundtrack.

Think about it.

When you're happy, there is your favourite song playing.
When you're sad, there is a violin or a piano hitting solitary notes.
When you're excited, there are drums hitting consecutive hard beats.
When you're peaceful, there are wind chimes twinkling in the wind.

When the day came for me to interview the artistes, I was a nerve wreck. I was the opposite of cool, calm and collected. I do admit, I was excited at meeting these great musicians, but I was very, very, very, very nervous.

Numerous things were running through my head,
like I'm so gonna mess up my lines,
like I'm so gonna say the wrong thing,
like I'm so gonna freeze when the camera starts rolling.

But I guess things turned out pretty well. I chatted with Radio Mundial, Sam Tshabalala and T-Bone. Three different groups of people, from three different continents, but all from the same land of music.

They were super nice people to be interviewed. They had zero airs, zero pretences, zero fake on-screen personas. They were genuinely nice. I felt I could really relate to what they had to say, when I asked them questions about their musicianship. I even met Richard from Radio Mundial, the day after the interview, and he was like shaking my hands and related to me, as though we were childhood friends.

And this is exactly what music is all about.

At WOMAD, I saw nothing but pure unadulterated joy. Everyone who had the WOMAD wristband, had smiles on their faces, regardless of his background, his wealth, his status, his job, his music preference or the clothes that he wears, Regardless of the music that was playing on-stage, everyone looked engaged; in his own world of music utopia.

And that will always be the magic of music that will forever be embedded in the human soul. His quest for distraction from his life will always be quenched by the smile on his face. And during WOMAD, I saw nothing but sincere, sweet smiles.

I have to thank Ripplevox for giving me the wonderful opportunity to meet and chat with some of the greatest joy-bringers of the world. I am truly humbled by the chance to be given that amount of faith for me to deliver something that I already enjoy.

And without the kind people at MTV, giving me kind words of encouragement, advice and their wonderful hospitality, I would not have imagined how this opportunity would have turned out to be.

Today, I am a music producer, who dreams of creating soundtracks for people who will remember them by their emotions. I am happy with my job, and I will leave being in front of the camera for others far deserving than me.

One day,
I dream of reaching out to the less fortunate in every part of the third world.

Not by the wealth I help accumulate,
Not by the schools I help build.
Not by the diplomatic relations I help tie.
Not by the houses I help create.

But by the music that will touch their lives,
for them to continue living,
and smiling.

God bless,
Hanafi