Behind the flashing lights, camera lens and the glitz of fame, lies a reality few get to see, and Abdul Rehman Sajid, Aka Havi, has had a front row seat to it.
The singer, who has been part of the music industry for the past decade, had a challenging journey, which is often perceived as an ‘overnight success’… he dispels the notion in a candid conversation with Geo.tv.
As the breadwinner of his household and a rising star in the Pakistani music industry, he has been facing sleepless nights, sacrificing family time, and enduring the loss of privacy – all while pouring his heart and soul into his craft.
Havi stepped into the spotlight after he won Pepsi Battle of the Bands alongside his band Auj in 2019. After creating soulful tracks like Lafz, Aansu and Duhrao for fans, the musician decided to embark on his solo journey in September 2024.
Havi's determination to pursue his passion on his own terms seems to have worked out in his favour as he makes a special place in the hearts of music lovers.
Sharing his story behind the glamour of fame, Havi confessed that stepping back as the Auj vocalist was an entirely professional and mutual decision. There was no personal clash.
“We all had different aims and goals with music, and our creative outlook was not aligning with each other,” he said.
The Raat singer did not have enough freedom to make creative decisions while being part of the band. However, as a solo artist, Havi is running the whole operation alongside his team.
Speaking of scope in Pakistan as a solo musician, Havi believes that there are plenty of opportunities, as our country needs music.
“If you are able to create such a product that can satisfy that need, of course, you have a place, and of course, there is growth in the industry.” Although he doesn't shy away from admitting that it’s hard to break in and even harder to sustain in the “tight-knit” industry.
He emphasises having a strong head on one’s shoulders as pursuing a music career is not an easy job. It entails endless travelling and, oftentimes, unnecessary distractions that have no part in making music.
As he now runs his own show, the singer finally revealed what his stage name ‘Havi’ represents.
“Havi is not only a stage name, it’s the name of the protagonist whom I am writing about in my songs.” He added that this is also a way to separate his personal and professional life, noting that the alter-ego has his “worst and best marketable qualities”.
While reflecting on his choice to become a singer, he shared that it was about vocalising his feelings into something coherent.
“The idea is I just want to be able to express how I feel without breaking,” he explained. “If I were to scream out my anguish, my happiness and my emotions in general, it would be a very ungraceful mess, and the most graceful way of doing it is to sing for me or write for me, and that’s what I tend to do. That's why I am here.”
In recent times, many celebrities have highlighted the ongoing payment issues in the acting world. Fortunately, Havi shared that the scenario is quite different in the music sphere, thanks to “strict rules and regulations." He believes artists in the drama and film industry are experiencing delays due to a limited number of stakeholders processing payments.
“For us, there are a lot of clients, a lot of people who are conducting shows. We have a wider pool of clients," the vocalist said.
Havi's motivation for constant hard work stems from his position as the breadwinner of his family, as it is very well known that passion alone doesn't pay bills.
“My ideas for myself are pretty old-fashioned”, he shared, highlighting his thoughts as a traditional man. “They dictate that I came to this world to serve and provide for the people who are my responsibility, and that is my default state. So, you don’t need motivation for that; you just need to wake up every day.”
Switching the mood of the discussion, we asked Havi about the viral clip of him singing the verse in Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s iconic song “woh bhi apne na hue dil bhi gaya haathon se” and how he made it popular in the young generation.
He appeared a little sad, hinting at what the song means to him. “I think the regret of having gone through certain things [in life] is a very human part of our experience, and it vocalises very well. It resonates with me to some extent.”
Shifting to his own music, the singer just disclosed that he had dropped a new rap song, Nazre Karam, something different from his usual style.
He then delved into Saath Din and Farz, his recently released tracks, revealing the connection between the two.
“Saath Din is about Havi's existential crisis. His idea of not understanding why he is here and what the point is, it's a dark track.”
Meanwhile, Farz, which he wrote with musical artist Farasat Anees, tells the tale of the most challenging phase of his life, way before he became famous.
Delighting his fans, Havi shared that there are eight to ten releases lined up for the near future.
As Havi's fan following is growing day by day, especially among women, the interest in his personal life is also increasing.
When asked about his marriage plans, the singer laughed, saying he would marry quietly because he is a private person.
He says, “I feel like I give these guys too much already, too much of my life. I gave them my sleep, gave them my time, I gave them my identity, but I would rather keep my family and my personal life to myself…”
At the end of our meaningful conversation, Havi opened up about his future plans and to our surprise, he is not in a rush.
The singer shared that he believes in the power of quality content over quantity. He stated, "My goal was simple, it is to increase one thousand followers a month, which was to provide value to people who are coming to my page, and similarly, it’s the same goal for me right now for all platforms," including Instagram, YouTube and Spotify.
As Havi continues to rise, his story serves as a testament to the power of dedication and hard work.
The singer, who still has big aspirations and dreams to achieve, inspires many to chase their own passions and persevere through challenges.