Kailash Kher suggests Zayn Malik join his music academy to learn ‘nuances’ of Teri Deewani

Singer Kailash Kher didn’t know who Zayn Malik was — until Zayn did a cover of Kher’s Teri Deewani on Instagram. While he loved this attempt, Kher urges the former One Direction star to improve his skills.

Singer-lyricist-composer Kailash Kher didn’t even know who Zayn Malik was up until Saturday, when Zayn, a huge pop star in the West and former vocalist of the band One Direction, posted a cover version of Kailash’s song Teri Deewani on his own Instagram account. The Sufi-style song, released in 2006, is one of Kailash’s biggest hits, from his maiden album, Kailasa.

Singer Kailash Kher says he is ‘humbled’ that Teri Deewani, one of his biggest hits, has inspired artists across the globe.

Reacting to Zayn Malik’s cover, and the way it went viral, Kailash says, “I didn’t even know who he was until someone sent me the video saying, ‘Look, who sang your song’. I was like, ‘Kaun hai bhai?’ And then I went on to his Instagram [account], and saw that he has covered the song, and he has over 27 million followers. That’s when I learnt about him and came to know that he is a big pop star in the West, who is a huge icon.”

Meanwhile, as Kailash was still trying to absorb the craze around Zayn’s rendition, the 25-year-old international star went ahead and posted another cover — Kailash’s song, Allah Ke Bande (2003; Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part II).

Having said all that, Kailash feels “humbled” and “honoured” that his music has reached artists across the world. “Definitely, Teri Deewani inspires many people around the globe,” he says. “Many learn it, and some are inspired to even perform it. In fact, a few years ago, a friend sent me a link where the renowned African bass player and singer Richard Bona was performing our song, Teri Deewani, at his concert in Japan.”

Kailash adds, “It feels nice, and I feel extremely honoured when your writing and compositions can inspire millions globally, truly. To see Teri Deewani resonate with so many people across different age groups is an extremely humbling feeling as an artist.”

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