Khalid: The 'idol' defined by his simplicity

In the heydays of FM Radio, if you tuned in at random and listened for any length of time, chances are you would have either heard 'Shorolotar Protima' or 'Jodi Himaloy Hoye' playing. On the off chance they were not, you would have heard the RJ read out requests to play these songs. Such was their craze. 

Khalid Anwar Saifullah, more popularly known as Khalid, the voice behind these chartbusters, breathed his last on 18 March evening due to cardiac arrest.

Hailing from Gopalganj, Khalid began his journey with music very early during his childhood, influenced by Bhupen Hazarika's 'Ganga Amar Ma' and 'Padma Amar Ma.' He also drew inspiration to sing by seeing his sisters practice music with their mentor.

Early on in his music career, he performed live at various locations. In 1983, he co-founded Chime, one of Bangladesh's pioneering bands, alongside Ashiquzzaman Tulu, Shawquat Ali Emon, and others. Their first ever performance drew a crowd of 30,000 people. Their first album titled 'Chime' was a hit with one of the songs 'Nati Khati Bela Gelo' becoming an immediate sensation. The band, with Khalid in the vocals, went on to release a total of five albums. Khalid himself released his solo album 'Ghumao' back in 2007, in which he collaborated with another musical icon of the country, Prince Mahmud.

Around the 90s, when mixed albums were popular, he was regularly featured in those albums alongside the top singers of the time. His music was especially popular among university students. 

Aside from his all-time golden 'Shorolotar Protima', the singer had many more hits under his belt, each of which are musical gems by their own right. These songs include 'Himaloy', 'Kono Karonei' and 'Tumi Nei Tai', with all of them being released during the 90's and early 2000's.

He did not constrain himself with just one genre of music. Rather, he often opted for fusion music, mostly making fusions between Pop and Rock music, as well as Folk. 

Starting as early as he did, his career had a lasting impression on the industry, which paved a path for modern music as we know them now. His passing, therefore, left quite a mark among many musicians.

"Khalid had a god-gifted, divine voice," said singer Shafin Ahmed. "He was a talented singer. His voice had a unique expression. Each of his songs spoke volumes of emotions and evoked many feelings. His music and their delivery were his greatest success. We have worked together on several mixed albums," he added.

"One thing that's a bit sad to see is that many are playing his songs after his passing," the singer went on to say. "The same happened only a few days ago when another classical singer, Sadi Mohammad died. Many of these musicians do not get their due respect in their lifetime, and I think we really need to show these artistes the respect they are owed." he concluded.

"Becoming an artist like Khalid is no easy feat to achieve," said another popular modern musician, Mehrin. "He was simple, straightforward, spontaneous, and had an immense personality. He was both introverted and humble. I have worked with him on many occasions. He lived a very quiet life. I believe artists should be like that. They should immerse themselves in the web of their own melody. I pray for the peace of Khalid's soul," she said.

"Khalid was one of the most popular singers we grew up listening to during the 90's," expressed singer Joy Shahriar. 

"He was the first to blend folk with rock music in the mainstream Bangla music scene. Through his songs, he achieved great popularity and success. Despite being one of the most popular artists, he remained outside the realm of stardom. Perhaps that's how he preferred it to be. If the history of Bengali rock music is ever written, Khalid's name will undoubtedly hold great significance," he added.

Author of 'Rock Jatra' Milu Anam also had a few words to share on this occasion. "The country lost a great musician and a gem," he said. "It's a loss that cannot be filled with anything or anyone else. He and Chime defined fusion music when the music scene in the country was taking off. He paved a path and inspired many to bring in more fusion in music, and therefore his impact on the evolution of Bangladeshi music was immense," he concluded.

Khalid had been away from singing for a long time. He settled in New York with his family. Occasionally, he would come back to the country. A few years ago, he was featured in a song titled 'Tui Bujhli Na'  under the banner of Soundtek.

Sound engineer Isha Khan, who had previously worked with the late singer, said that Khalid would be taken to Gopalganj for burial after funeral prayers at Green Road Jame Mosque.