‘I will keep singing until the end’: James

Singer James left home as a young man, driven by his passion for music. Over the years, that young musician went on to become one of Bangladesh's most prominent rock figures, affectionately known to fans as “Guru”. Decades into his career, James continues to command the stage.

The Nagar Baul frontman has been on a European music tour for nearly two months, travelling through Portugal, England, Cyprus and Italy. He is currently in Sweden, where he is scheduled to perform for expatriate Bangladeshis on September 6.

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Speaking at a press conference ahead of the concert, James said he wants to continue making music until the final day of his life. He also shared some advice for musicians of the younger generation.

James began his musical journey in Chattogram in the early 1980s as the guitarist and vocalist of the band Feelings. The band's debut album, “Station Road”, was released in 1987, and James has since captivated several generations of listeners with his music.

Asked about his long career at the press conference, James said, “Whenever I stand on stage, I feel that everyone is the same audience as before. I never noticed that time was passing and generations were changing. Now I realise that I may be able to sing for several generations.”

James said he never pursued music with the expectation of gaining something from it. Instead, he continued because of his love, emotion and passion for music. He offered the same advice to younger musicians, urging them not to enter the profession expecting material rewards.

“There is no point in making music to gain something. You have to make music purely out of passion, out of obsession. If someone makes music expecting to gain something, I would say, stop right now. I don't think music should be made to gain something. You have to make music for your own peace of mind. If you achieve something through it, that's a different matter. Even if I had gained nothing today, I would still have continued making music,” he said.

For James, music remains a lifelong companion. He said he has no separate plans for the future beyond continuing to sing.

“I have no separate future plans regarding music. I will keep singing; I want to sing until the end. Even if, at the end, I see that there is only one audience member, I will sing for that person too,” he said.

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The Sweden concert will mark the end of James' European tour. He will then travel to Australia, where he is scheduled to perform at a special concert in New South Wales on September 12. West Bengal's Fossils frontman Rupam Islam will also perform at the event.