Modern Music
Hussain Shihab, formerly a musician and now the minister of state for arts, wrote a song to a foreign tune. This song was named hiy Adhu Roneeyey Nudhashey, which he admitted in a program broadcast on the anniversary of Television Maldives (TVM). Western music is more popular in the capital, as in any global city.
However, popular music has shifted from plagiarizing to more original concepts. The Dhivehi band Zero Degree Atoll released an album named Dhoni ("Traditional Maldivian Boat"). This album had roots in folk and ancient arts such as Raivaru, a type of traditional poetry, where letters are swapped to be sung in a certain melody. The album was a huge success, followed by its remake with few new songs in 1997, the album titled Island Pulse recorded in France. The band had a huge impact on the local population, which unofficially claimed it as the saviors of traditional Dhivehi musical art and the pioneers of modern Dhivehi music. Many other bands and local performers have kept up tradition. It is believed that the state sponsored radio and TV grew more in favor of foreign music, when most quintessential Dhivehi musicians started including political content in their lyrics. Such lyricists include Easa of Sea Child, unofficially considered the Bob Dylan of modern Dhivehi music, who was jailed for drug related issues. Although Easa is not regarded professionally, many of his songs have been stolen and sung. While serving time at Maafushi, he is said to have written more than a hundred songs. Songs such as Jamalegge Soora ("face of a camel"), Filavalhu ("lesson"), Fangivinun (a collaboration of folk and an original Raivaru), Insaana ("the Human") and Govaali Adu are very prominent among musicians, and in the underground music scene.
Read more about this topic: Music Of The Maldives
Famous quotes containing the words modern and/or music:
“All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn.... American writing comes from that. There was nothing before. There has been nothing as good since.”
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961)
“The sound of tireless voices is the price we pay for the right to hear the music of our own opinions. But there is also, it seems to me, a moment at which democracy must prove its capacity to act. Every man has a right to be heard; but no man has the right to strangle democracy with a single set of vocal chords.”
—Adlai Stevenson (1900–1965)