Aia Lemonsky – Songs from a Bangladeshi Prison

Podcast

In the fourth episode of Long Take: Life as an Artist, Asif Iqbal, also known as Aia Lemonsky, recalls how writing songs gave him strength to survive his time in prison. He sings us some of these songs - with the sounds of Dhaka in the background. Listen to this episode on Spotify or on YouTube.

Music, writing, and drawing served as lifelines for Aia Lemonsky during his time of imprisonment in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Reflecting on that period, he recalls how music gave him the strength to face each day, writing helped him organize his thoughts, and drawing became a form of meditation. A man who started music in prison, and cherishes the sky and lemons, Aia was charged with defamation—a charge that has ensnared many in Bangladesh, often under the controversial Digital Security Act. This law has been widely criticized for violating human rights and suppressing freedom of speech. This interview was conducted while Sheikh Hasina, who ruled Bangladesh with an iron fist for 15 years, was still in power. Her presidency ended in August 2024, when she fled to India following massive protests against her regime. Since his release, Aia Lemonsky has resumed creating music with his band, Kaaktaal (which translates to «The Serendipity of Life»). In addition, he is building a career as an architect alongside being a professional graphic designer and video editor.

Credits

Host: Thomas Burkhalter
Sound: Daniel Jakob, Melodies In My Head
Mix and Mastering: Daniel Jakob
Graphic Design (Cover): Pamuditha Zen Anjana
Photography: Ørjan Ellingvåg + Thomas Burkhalter
Editorial support: The Norient team and Rebecca Favale
Support in Dhaka: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo

«This song played a significant role in the recent movement that ended the Hasina regime.»

Aia Lemonsky, November 27, 2024. See translated lyrics in the commentary section of the video.

Listen to the full episode on YouTube, and find outtakes in this YouTube Playlist.

The podcast «Long Take: Life as an Artist» dives into deep conversations with artists from across the globe, focusing on musicians and sound creators. Hosted by Norient founder, anthropologist, writer and audiovisual artist Thomas Burkhalter, it explores the personal journeys of these artists – their aspirations, successes, challenges, creative processes, and perspectives on the world. The podcast is minimally edited, offering authentic portrayals of each artist, revealing the person behind the art. It serves as a valuable, freely accessible resource for anyone researching music, sound, culture, and politics.

The podcast is funded by

Biography

Dr. Thomas Burkhalter is an anthropologist/ethnomusicologist, AV-artist, and writer from Bern (Switzerland). He is the founder and director of Norient and the Norient Festival (NF), co-directed AV-performances and documentary films (e.g. «Contradict», Berner Filmpreis 2020 + Al-Jazeera Witness), and is the author and co-editor of several books (e.g., «Local Music Scenes and Globalization: Transnational Platforms in Beirut», Routledge, «The Arab Avant Garde: Musical Innovation in the Middle East», Wesleyan University Press). He teaches regularly at universities, and runs workshops for arts institutions. Since 2022 he produces the Norient Mixtape for Swiss National Radio SRF3. Currently, he is working on his new music duo «Melodies In My Head», and on the podcast series «Long Take: Life as an Artist». Follow him on Instagram, Research Gate, Academia.edu, Bandcamp, Spotify, or Meta.

Published on November 27, 2024

Last updated on December 12, 2024

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Skibkhan – Punchlines and Metaphors from Dhaka

Podcast

by Thomas Burkhalter

In this episode of Long Take: Life as an Artist, we meet Bangladeshi rapper Skibkhan, a member of the pioneering hip hop crew Deshi MCs. He delves into the creative process behind his lyrics and explores his role and responsibilities as a rapper in Dhaka. Listen to this episode on Spotify or YouTube.

Bangladeshi rapper Khan M Sayeed, popularly known as Skibkhan, strives to pack as many words into a bar as possible while keeping his lines simple and not overly complex. As a founding member of Deshi MCs, the group credited with introducing Bangla Gangsta Rap and hip hop to Bangladesh, Skibkhan has played a pivotal role in shaping the country’s music scene. Currently he is mixing rap and metal with Guerrillaz of Dhaka.

In the interview, he reflects on how to deliver clear and impactful messages without unnecessarily offending minority groups, emphasizing that freedom of speech should not turn into hate speech. He shares his observations on class conflicts in Bangladesh from a middle-class perspective and discusses how reading Bangla poetry – an inspiration from his grandmother, a poet – has helped him expand his vocabulary.

Skibkhan also opens up about his journey in the music industry, the challenges he has faced, and his aspirations for the future. This interview was conducted while Sheikh Hasina, who ruled Bangladesh with an iron fist for 15 years, was still in power. Her presidency ended in August 2024 when she fled to India following massive protests against her regime.

Credits

Host: Thomas Burkhalter
Sound: Daniel Jakob, Melodies In My Head
Mix and Mastering: Daniel Jakob
Graphic Design (Cover): Pamuditha Zen Anjana
Editorial support: The Norient team and Rebecca Favale
Support in Dhaka: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo

Listen to the full episode on YouTube and find outtakes in this YouTube playlist.

The podcast «Long Take: Life as an Artist» dives into deep conversations with artists from across the globe, focusing on musicians and sound creators. Hosted by Norient founder, anthropologist, writer and audiovisual artist Thomas Burkhalter, it explores the personal journeys of these artists – their aspirations, successes, challenges, creative processes, and perspectives on the world. The podcast is minimally edited, offering authentic portrayals of each artist, revealing the person behind the art. It serves as a valuable, freely accessible resource for anyone researching music, sound, culture, and politics.

The podcast is funded by

Published on December 11, 2024

Last updated on December 12, 2024

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Zara Mujthaba – Music and Tourism in the Maldives

Podcast

by Thomas Burkhalter

In the second episode of Norient’s podcast Long Take: Life as an Artist, Maldivian singer, producer, and artist Zara Mujthaba shares insights into her musical journey and life on Thulusdhoo island, her involvement with the influential Maldivian collective Dinba Family, and her perspective on the evolving tourism industry in the Maldives. She remains hopeful for the future of music in the Maldives and sees potential in the younger generation of artists. Listen to this episode on Spotify or on YouTube.

As an independent female artist in the Maldives, Zara Mujthaba, has paved the way for others, releasing solo albums that focus on life and social issues. Her performances blend Soul, Blues, Jazz, Rock, and R&B and can be experienced in some of the Maldives’ tourist resorts. Beyond performing, Zara shares her expertise by teaching children at the «Maldives Music and Arts Center» and has mentored emerging artists at the third season of «Maldivian Idol».

Zara is closely tied to the Dinba Family, a highly respected musical collective in the Maldives founded by Ishaantey Shiuz Mohamed. The Dinba Family fosters collaboration among artists, aiming to blend traditional Maldivian sounds with global genres like reggae, jazz, and rock, offering a creative space free from commercial pressures. This collective includes various artists who work together to preserve Maldivian cultural sounds while integrating global music influences like reggae, jazz, and rock. Dinba music songs have been sung by various artists most notably Haisham, Affan, Thabi, Mifu, Aasha, Muaadhu, Shappay, Maizan Ahko, Unoosha, Fahthu, Haifa, Dheema, Appi, Shiuz, Lalith, Esa, Tholib, Shaani, Nileysha, Hasko, Thothi, Andhala, Bathool, Yamin, Nish, Shalabee, Shuaib, Ahmadey, Laisha, Jaisha, Saina, Rizu, Din hassan, Adil [Baaga], Aleef, Nishwan [Bokitos], Ishaam, Yani & Javidh. Zara’s work with Dinba has allowed her to explore a range of collaborative projects while maintaining artistic freedom, reaching broader audiences and strengthening her role in the Maldivian music community.

Credits

Host: Thomas Burkhalter
Sound: Daniel Jakob, Melodies In My Head
Mix and Mastering: Daniel Jakob
Graphic Design (Cover): Pamuditha Zen Anjana
Editorial support: The Norient team and Rebecca Favale

The podcast «Long Take: Life as an Artist» dives into deep conversations with artists from across the globe, focusing on musicians and sound creators. Hosted by Norient founder, anthropologist, writer and audiovisual artist Thomas Burkhalter, it explores the personal journeys of these artists – their aspirations, successes, challenges, creative processes, and perspectives on the world. The podcast is minimally edited, offering authentic portrayals of each artist, revealing the person behind the art. It serves as a valuable, freely accessible resource for anyone researching music, sound, culture, and politics.

The podcast is funded by

Biography

Dr. Thomas Burkhalter is an anthropologist/ethnomusicologist, AV-artist, and writer from Bern (Switzerland). He is the founder and director of Norient and the Norient Festival (NF), co-directed AV-performances and documentary films (e.g. «Contradict», Berner Filmpreis 2020 + Al-Jazeera Witness), and is the author and co-editor of several books (e.g., «Local Music Scenes and Globalization: Transnational Platforms in Beirut», Routledge, «The Arab Avant Garde: Musical Innovation in the Middle East», Wesleyan University Press). He teaches regularly at universities, and runs workshops for arts institutions. Since 2022 he produces the Norient Mixtape for Swiss National Radio SRF3. Currently, he is working on his new music duo «Melodies In My Head», and on the podcast series «Long Take: Life as an Artist». Follow him on Instagram, Research Gate, Academia.edu, Bandcamp, Spotify, or Meta.

Published on October 30, 2024

Last updated on October 31, 2024

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