‘Phir Na Aaunga’, the latest release from local lad Jihad Al Raisi, is a visual treat for music lovers, with lucidly shifting expanse of nature, subtly cushioning the mood of love and yearning  that the song narrates. The music video captures meditative hues of the skyline, panning across open plains and mountain tops. This imagery juxtaposes smoothly with Jihad’s soulful rendition of the song; the love, the accompanying anguish and a resigned acceptance of the fate that sums up the title, which literally translates as ‘I will not come back again’. 

Jihad is known for experimenting and exploring his talent for music, going beyond the boundaries of Oman to fulfill his passion. The release of his new Hindi music video ‘Phir Na Aaunga’ – on October 4, 2023 – encapsulates his ever-evolving musical style and his passion for the craft that has charted his growth in the world of music. The video has thrown new spotlight on Jihad and his seemingly unlimited repertoire of songs. Directed by Jaan Al Balushi (composed by Sameer Khan, with lyrics by Shahbaz Alam), the video comes across as a balm for music lovers, more so in this part of the world, which has a sizable number of Hindi speaking expatriates. 

Prolific in Arabic, English, Urdu, Panjabi, Baluchi, Spanish, Algerian and Sri Lankan music, Jihad Al Raisi’s soulful voice resonates with his fans in Oman, India and other countries in the sub-continent and beyond. 

“Music is my life,” states Jihad, who calls himself an exponent of semi classical music. He defines music as his “higher power”.

“Everything in the universe has a rhythm, feel… Music gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything…” he states, poetically. 

Music sans boundaries

“This is JR Al Raisi. Welcome to my channel. This channel is a reflection of my journey in the world of music. Music means the world to me…”

That is how Jihad introduces viewers and subscribers of his YouTube channel.

He has nursed his love and passion for music since childhood and has, over the years, won a fan following that transcends boundaries. What is interesting is his fascination for Bollywood; he has to his credit interviews with several celebrities from the industry, including names like Dharmendra, Farah Khan, Lucky Ali, Chunky Pandey, Salma Agha and Shabbir Kumar among others. 

“I have been inspired by Bollywood movies and music,” he states, matter-of-factly, when asked about his early musical influences to pursue a career in this field.

He was a finalist in a reality show ‘Singing Sensation’ in Dubai, telecast on Zee TV channel; he was also a guest of honor in a show aired on Star Plus channel. 

Oman, his home country, has been a witness to his live events and shows as well as several cover songs that he has produced. He also released a song to mark World Cup Qatar 2022, which was sponsored by the Khimji Ramdas group. His boundless quest to stay abreast of the music world has earned him positive response on social media from fans all over the world.

While Omani music often incorporates traditional elements, Jihad has managed to blend traditional Omani music with contemporary styles. “I am creating my music to a style that suits my voice quality and the same I create on traditional songs as well,” he points out.

About his popularity as a multilingual singer that has endeared him to the large expatriate community in Oman, he says it all stems from his hard work. “It’s all about hard work and self efforts – no sponsors, no supporters…” he states, wistfully.

It is ironical that Jihad, who has lent his support to several events, has never quite found the backing for his professional growth. “It’s very difficult to get sponsorship as well as support in this field,” he laments.

The story behind ‘Phir Na Aaunga’ music album

Tracing the story behind the Hindi album, Jihad attributes the trigger to undertake the fascinating project to his dream. “This was my big dream… I always thought that if one day I will sing, then it will be a Hindi song. After singing many cover songs in my style, I received recognition from many artists and composers in the Bollywood film industry. But I was waiting for my chance,” he explains, adding that he has been featured in video interviews with several Bollywood legends, via social media, who appreciated his voice and style.

It the video of one such interview that went viral and recognition poured in. As he puts it: “It happened when one of these videos got viral…that an Omani national was meeting legends via social media network. This got me connected with some writers and composers to make something deferent that suits my voice. After a long period of hard work, I got selected. ’Phir Na Aaunga’ is my first original.”

Challenges and Obstacles

However, sponsors were not forthcoming and things seemed to have reached a dead-end. “I approached many sponsors for support to come up with great music and video – never got any response. But I had to fulfill my dream, and not once did I think of quitting my dream; the cost of this project was the biggest challenge and a very difficult one. I did not hesitate to complete this project.  I had to take a big loan to complete it and finally release,” he explains.

Stressing that support for artists is scarce in this part of the world – from any sector or individuals, he states: “I have to rely on self efforts to do everything to achieve my dreams. As I mentioned before, all the sectors and event organizations have used my talents for their footfalls, but, in return, no one has taken any action to support me.”

Another challenge, he adds, is the lack of genuine appreciation for his style of music. Addressing that issue, he says, “It’s really sad that in my country not many people appreciate my worldwide style of music, because their thought is stuck on local style. I am really suffering… I have tried my best, but some people’s understanding of music is very limited, and they are the ones handling musical events, which is why I am not visible in festivals. The hardest challenge till date…”

There have been unforgettable moments too; one of which was his show at the Mall of Muscat. “It was one of my most memorable performances… I received a message from the Mall manager saying that they broke the footfalls record of all malls in Oman with 31k entries during my event. Feel really proud and blessed,” he muses.

Upcoming Projects

Flush in the success of the just released album, he is planning to continue creating his music in various styles. “I will be working in many styles, as I have mastered different ways of presenting my music during personal events or recordings – as original songs or cover songs,” he points out.

In the long term, he hopes to fulfill his dream of performing on stages in different countries with his official musical band and his distinctive voice.

Message of Peace

Artists are known to convey a specific message or theme through their music and Jihad is no different. His message is ‘peace’. “Since I sing in many different languages from around the world, my message is ‘Peace’,” he states adding that his music is an attempt to spread love and peace from an Omani singer to the world. 

Words of Advice

Jihad’s advice for aspiring Omani musicians who want to follow in his footsteps and pursue a career in music: “My advice, for anyone who wants to be a musician here, is to better promote their work only via social media to reach out to those who appreciate. Otherwise you will never find anyone to support or appreciate…I am suffering since 1998. But because I am a calm person, I know I can handle pressure and I am still on it.”

And handle he will, as Jihad’s new video continues to win him rave reviews.