Sharjah: Mangalorean Abner D’Souza strikes it big in music

By Naveen Frank

Sharjah, Feb 20: This is the story of Abner D'Souza, a Mangalore-born youngster. Abner is the third child of Clifford and Meena D’Souza, with two elder brothers and a younger sister making a complete family. Interestingly, Abner was the only one among the 4 children who was born at Fr Muller’s Hospital, Mangalore in 1987. Since his father was working for a Gulf airline, Abner spent the first 12 years of his life in the UAE. The family later moved back to Mumbai in 1999 where Abner completed his schooling and college studies.

As a little boy, Abner was reluctant to play music. His elder brother was learning the guitar. But for Abner, the guitar was only another piece of furniture. His interests were outdoors. Abner attributes his success in music as a song to his father. At the age of 8, little Abner wanted a bicycle. His father agreed to buy him one, provided he learns at least 3 basic chords of the guitar. Literally blackmailed and with no choice left, Abner learnt the three chords from his elder brother. Just so to get his bike soon, he learnt the chords quickly.
 
Happy with his own bicycle now, Abner also realized that these basic 3 chords were enough to play a song that was fairly popular at that time – La Bamba. His brother then accompanied him in playing the lead guitar parts as well. The joy of making music began to grow in him. At 12, he began to play at school assemblies. At 14, he began to play for the school and church choirs. At 16 he got his first electric guitar which took things to a whole new level. At 17 he started to play in bands, teaching music part-time and investing his pocket money in purchasing Audio Recording Interfaces, DAW software, microphones and his first Yamaha keyboard. At a young age of 19, Abner was given his first job as a session guitarist with a well-known Music Director based in Mumbai. That was the first time he walked into a real Music Studio.
 
On completion of his education , Abner began his professional life and eventually moved back to the UAE. A year on in the Gulf, he decided to go a step further – to expose his music talent to the wider world. That needed time and money. He created time on the weekends and sourced his hard earnings to venture into something that he never tried before. He was now set to make his own music video. He had written a love song while still in Mumbai, which he had named “STILL LOVE YOU”. He spent endless hours over the weekends in the confines of his apartment composing music for the song.
 
The product was a decent almost 4-minute love song , fully filmed and produced in the UAE. Since it was his first venture, Abner decided it best to release the video on YouTube and gauge the response from viewers worldwide. The video was released on 01 February 2013 on YouTube. Abner was not sure of the response but it was overwhelming. In just three weeks the video has fetched over 70,000 hits and many wishes of encouragement from family and friends.
 
His young talent was also picked up by the popular FM station of the UAE 105.4 Radio Spice, and has invited Abner for an interview that will be broadcast on 23 February 2013 when his song will also be played for the first time on radio.
 
Asked what he feels about music, Abner says, “Plainly, Music is a collection of sound wave frequencies consisting of pitch and melody that enter our ears and gets analyzed by the brain-just like any other sound. However, it is what it does to our brain that makes it so amazing. Music alters our moods. It inspires us. It can relieve us from stress and stimulate good thoughts. Long before we humans can see, we can hear. A fetus begins to respond to the sounds of its mother's world, at just 18 weeks. Music also has proven effects on older people, such as those battling with Alzheimer or depression. In many cases it helps keep a person feeling young and cheerful, better than medicines can! “
 
Abner is happy and thankful to have received a good response on his first solo single 'Still Love You'. Abner says “As Bollywood surrounds us, budding Indian Music Artists (as me) typically debut themselves as singers of Hindi Songs. It was my wish to try at being the first to do this in English. I am happy that my song has been accepted internationally, with most of the YouTube hits coming from USA. Dubai FM 105.4 (Radio Spice) will have me performing live and broadcast my song on radio from the 23rd of February 2013. “
 
Truly, Abner is excited! It is right and just that we encourage this young man’s talent and be proud that yet another Mangalorean who has hitched his wagon to the stars!

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