Mo Khan is a music producer based in London who has been working within the British Asian Music industry for around 15 years and is currently working on his own album. So far, he has released 2 singles that were featured and topped the charts on BBC Asian Network.
Mo’s new single “I Don't Mind” featuring Mutya Buena from the Sugababes was released on the 7th of July. In a conversation with Asian Voice, he talks about his music career, accomplishments and his upcoming single.
How did your musical journey begin and how has it evolved over the years?
Living in a multicultural environment, I started learning at a very young age and had a chance to experience music from all over the world. My father saw my interest in music and being a composer himself, he bought me a Sequencer Keyboard at the age of 9. I gradually got really good at it, to the point where I once started an impromptu music night at a restaurant.
By the time I was 11, I was sequencing music and used to save the projects on small Floppy Disks. After a bit of research about the technological aspects, I bugged my dad for a year before I finally got a computer powerful enough to make music. Since then I have travelled the world, learned to play more instruments, worked with very talented artists and became a full-time music producer/artist.
How have your South Asian roots helped your art? Are there any Indian singers who served as an inspiration?
Being South Asian has played a massive part in my development. I am proud of our heritage and how we have so many different genres. Indian music has a massive influence on my music. Growing up, I was listening to Ghazals, Qawwali, Bollywood music and folk music, and when artists like Timbaland, Just Blaze, Dr Dre and Scott Storch started sampling the Indian forms, I was inspired. Asian instruments became an integral part of all my songs to a point where now my sound is defined by some of the amazing unheard South Asian instruments I have used and sampled.
Nusrat Fateh Ali, Mehdi Hassan, Abida Parveen and Pankaj Udhas taught me how to add feeling to vocals while A R Rahman taught me how to make everything sound huge while still sounding pleasing. More recently Sonu Nigam and Arijit Singh are all inspirations to my music. I try to mix all the different genres together by bringing the South Asian Roots and merging them with our UK style!
What are some challenges that you’ve faced as a South Asian artist in the UK?
I don't think there are any challenges being South Asian. I believe if you are good at what you do, especially in music it doesn't matter where you're from or what your roots are, The world will appreciate you and your talents. I have seen this first hand while growing up listening to Apache Indian who became one of the biggest South Asian artists internationally recognised. Not forgetting Jay Sean and Raghav! All of these artists have carved their way into the world by being the best and I feel this is what it takes.
What genre of music do you prefer listening to? How do your listening choices affect your music composition?
I prefer to listen to every genre of music. I grew up listening to R&B, Hip Hop, House and 2-step music of course not forgetting Bollywood, Qawwali, Ghazals, folk music. All these genres are locked inside my head! I am constantly learning and trying to find innovative ways to merge genres together. In my previous song 'Sweet Surrender' that featured the amazing Kelsey, was a UK Garage Vibe with a hook vocal from a very talented Sufi Artist from Pakistan. So I'm constantly trying to merge genres and of course trying to bring my South Asian roots into it.
You have collaborated with artists like Asim Azhar, Palak Muchhal and Amaal Malik in the past. How do musical collaborations usually work? What is the energy mix like?
Working with so many artists, it's all about energy in the studio that can lead to a great song. When it comes to working with more established artists who know what they want, it's almost a battle trying to get your ideas heard but working with Asim Azhar, Yash Narvekar, Palak Muchhal, Amaal Malik etc, they invited me for the type of music I do and produce. The track is called 'Nai Jeena' and it was released on VYRL which is a subsidiary of Universal Music India. They liked my music and got in touch with me. Amaal gave his input on the song and introduced me to Kunaal Verma, who wrote an amazing hook and collectively we agreed we should get a male and a female singer. I mixed and mastered the entire record.
Can you elaborate on your upcoming track ‘I Don’t Mind’? What is in store for the audience with this track?
My new single 'I Don't Mind' is a collaborative project. For this song, I produced the entire beat first before inviting Justin who is my in-house songwriter to the studio. Justin loved the vibe and collectively we came up with an awesome hook. We then worked on it for a few days perfecting the lyrics and the music so it all merges well together before sending it to the singer. In this instance, I sent it to Mutya Buena from the Sugababes who is a very close friend of mine and I felt that her vibe and singing style would be perfect for the song. She loved the song, came to the studio and we recorded the track. It combines all our musical styles and showcases my production/writing influence with Mutya's amazing vocals and undeniable charisma. Our collaboration on the song represents a union of musical powerhouses who have united for the passion for creating memorable and timeless music.
Having collaborated with Mutya Buena and Justin Edwards for ‘I Don’t Mind’, what is your favourite aspect about this collaboration?
It easily has to be the time we spent in the studio. The vibe was amazing and we were loving every second of it. We had incredible energy in the studio when we were producing, writing and recording the song. We had laughs, played jokes on each other, had food together and generally just vibed out the entire day! I take studio sessions as vibes and energies. I bounce off others as they bounce off me, I like to make people feel comfortable to get the best out of them. We spent the first half of the day just talking about what our plans were, how we see the song fit within the industry and how we feel we can push the song once released. Mutya and Justin bring so much energy and it shows in the song.
Can you shed light on an experience that has been the biggest highlight of your career?
The biggest highlight of my career so far has been releasing the music that I have worked so hard to create. I want people to hear my story through my music and I feel now is the right time. I have worked with some incredibly talented artists from across the world and by taking in the experiences and learning from all the long sessions I've had; I was certain to release my own music which represents me as an artist. I have compiled an album of songs that is featuring amazing artists. The Album is called ' Ijazat Hai' and it will be released later this year! I cannot wait for it to be released and to showcase my talent as an Artist, producer, songwriter and composer out to the world.
