‘Say the name’ is the jury’s question.
‘Sujan Chapagai.’
‘Where did you come from?’
‘Right here, from Chitwan Bharatpu.’
‘Walking?’
‘No, on a bike.’
‘Do you want to win a car?’
After this initial question and answer, he recites the song to the jury, ‘My dear, I laugh on your face….’
After patiently listening to the song, the judge says, ‘You are in a hurry, where are you going?’
In the first edition of the singing reality show ‘Nepal Idol’, he barely enters the second stage. However, he does not participate in that stage because of the exam. After being selected from the digital audition for the second edition, he goes through a few hurdles. However, even in that journey, there are stumbles. After all, he is eliminated from the competition.
Two years after that.
A charming song in the voice and music composition of Sujan Chapagai is released, ‘Dekher Tuke, Dekher Tuke’. This song, written by Harak Saud and produced by Artmandu, makes his popularity graph soar. In the following days, there will be no such singing reality show, where this song is not sung.
On the platform where he failed, the other contestants sing Sujan’s songs and embark on an undefeated journey.
What happens after that?
Unbroken songs are released in his voice and music. ‘Gala Pukka’, ‘Lajaeer’, ‘Ghumi Ghumi’, ‘Foulthunge Rani’, ‘Eklai Haveni’, ‘Timi Bina Tu Behunu’, ‘Velvet.’ Unfortunately, most of these songs reach the top trending spots on YouTube. It is heard and seen millions of times.
In this way, Sujan performs miracles during four years.
…………
Bhuifutta singer is Sujan, who was born with the quality of singing?
Probably not. If that was the case, he would not have had to fight so many times with voices and tunes. Because his association and practice with music is not lacking. Sujan remembers, ‘I don’t know, but according to my mother, even when I was two years old, I used to hum songs.’
This is about Ray. However, when he grew up, he joined the company of his grandfather and mother. Both of them were singing. They were especially fond of the hymn congregation. Mixing in it, Sujan used to play vaka in bhajans, dholak and madal.
From that time, Sujan began to feel the melodies in the words. He used to change some letters into scenes and try to fill them with a matching melody. Sujan narrates, ‘I used to imagine how to give music that sounds light but meaningful to the words.’
Words become melodious tunes in the world of music. That melody can come from nature, it can come from folk traditions, it can come from distant memories. ‘That is not something we invent separately’ Sujan says, ‘It comes from things we have heard and felt somewhere.’ As he grew up listening to bhajans in his childhood, Dhvani remained stored in his memory. And, today, in his music creation, the wave of sound comes from there.
As a child, he listened to many bhajans. Sing hymns. This inspired him to continue singing. On top of that, mother and grandfather’s syabasi was going on.
‘When my mother was working in the kitchen, I used to make new tunes and recite them’ Sujan remembers. In the same way, the song called ‘Gala Pukk’ was sung and he recited it to his mother. He composed this song as a teenager and recorded it only after reaching the peak of his career.
In the early days of school, he used to stand up and sing in front of everyone. Therefore, apart from studies, he started enjoying music more. Perhaps because of such compatibility, he did not have to deal with the question of ‘what will happen in the future’. Because the people who saw and heard had already realized, ‘Later on, this boy will be involved in music.’
Parents didn’t have to put a check on it. However, they were not free from the influence of our social norms. They wanted to do something else along with singing and music. ‘Something else’ especially government jobs.
This is the reason why even though he studied in a private school when he was young, he passed his SLC from a government school. Music was a passion, a job was a necessity. Life had to be moved forward by harmonizing desire and compulsion. But how?
…………
During the lockdown. There was a tragedy in the city. Everything was at a standstill. There was no study, no work. The days were leisurely.
Vidya Tiwari took him to Artmandu and introduced him to Naveen Chauhan. There he gave a demo of the song ‘Lajaer’. Artmandu’s circle of friends fell apart.
By that time Naveen Chauhan of Artmandu was intent on making a music video. Hark Saud, who could play words on a plot by listening to it or watching a scene, was accompanying him. He wrote, ‘Seeing you….’
Sujan filled these letters with melody. Then the voice too. The song is ready. The song was released during the lockdown.
People were inside the house. There was a corona panic outside. What will happen after the song is released? This question made Sujan restless. How many views did the song get on YouTube? He lived in Ganer.
Father was in the same condition. How many times have you seen his son’s song? He used to watch it on YouTube time and time again.
How did Sujan feel at that time, ‘If a floating ball suddenly jumps, will it float or sink’? He was shocked. When the song was being released, they kept saying, ‘Should something else be arranged?’ He kept listening to the song again and again.
As soon as the song was released, its number on YouTube increased, along with the number of calls and messages he received.
This song started to be heard and seen everywhere. Tiktok was buzzing’ says Sujan, ‘In the beginning I was counting views one by one, but then I got very excited.’ Artmandu’s friends were shocked. His family was excited.
……………
Sujan has to spend her time doing interviews with Online News. Because at the moment he is at the peak of his career. Figuratively, ‘His Saraswati is on the right.’
Music composition, song recording, concert schedule has kept him busy. However, he is not in a hurry. They are at their own pace and rhythm. That’s why sometimes he wanders in the eklase pakhas of Panchthar, sometimes he wanders in the Kanth areas of Kathmandu.
They meet the villagers, sing songs with the elders. ‘You can learn a lot by doing that’ Sujan says, ‘It’s going to be fun.’
He thinks that songs should have soul. It should have a story. ‘In the songs that I have brought, the stories of someone’s life are jaded’ says Sujan, ‘When the words and its background and the music and voice are compatible with each other, it touches the heart of the audience.’
The number of people who want to listen to Sujan not only in the virtual medium, but also live is not less. As the density of that number increased, he went from place to place for concerts. He went to Australia for an international concert. Then he took a break. From March 2025, he will go on an American tour with his own musical group.
He has a different attitude on stage as well. When he is singing the song, the audience listens more than jumping and dancing. He knows, ‘At a concert, the audience enjoys the words and rhythm of the song more.’
Towards the end of the conversation we turned to his personal life and lifestyle. Needless to say, Sujan is easy and simple. Those who know him closely call him ‘funny’ and some say ‘more positive than necessary.’
Everyday life is normal. They wake up in the morning, practice music. Some time is spent in meeting friends, recording. They go on a journey when they have free time.
