As a kid of the late 90's, I didn't actually enjoy Vital Signs or Junaid Jamshed as much some of the other 90's kids did.. Because when I was 4, it was no longer the 90's and things changed. My childhood was filled with Vital Signs but not actually my Youth days. But still thanks to Indus Music, Ptv I still clearly remembered all of the songs as if I was part of that generation. You do remember much of the tunes that you hear as a kid. When I was almost 6, Junaid's heart took a turn for the better. I would still listen to his songs and all the melodies would remain in my head until a point where I grew up, life kicked in and then you just kind of forget it all.. The music scene in Pakistan died, Radio's stopped playing the classic tracks and any chance of nostalgia was gone.
Then came the YouTube era, basically my later years of my teenage and I would occasionally listen to Ankhon ko Ankhon ne, Uss rah par, and some other Junaid Jamshed/Vital Signs songs but my heart was filled with hypocrisy because I would listen to a guy that I was actually labeling a hypocrite. The nostalgic feeling was there but not the Fandom. Like every one else, we were all just jumping on the hate train. Without knowing the actual truth, without meeting JJ in real life, just making our own assumptions and forgetting how much it would have taken for him to change his life.
Then came this evening, a few years later. When I heard the news of Junaid Jamshed's sudden death, which later we realized was martyrdom. A moment of instant regret. A moment of shame. And every time I heard, people close to him talk about him, the regret grew stronger and with it, the love I had in the past - that nostalgia grew aswell. Now before I come to the main point which many people would argue about, Junaid the religious scholar could only inspire people because they knew him as Junaid the voice of the 90's and 80's, Junaid the voice of Pakistan's unofficial National anthem. It may sound hypocritical again, but a few days later after his martyrdom, I would go back again and listen to some of his songs and find out a song that somehow went missing for all those years.. Once I played it, all those snippets of tunes from my childhood joined back again.. Aitebaar by Vital signs. To this day, Aitebaar has become a therapy for me. Every time I feel the need to vent out a bit of frustration, depression and sadness, I listen to the song. Shed a few tears and move on with life. And by this it does not mean I don't pray(Namaz) and don't pray to God and this is my only way of relaxing but wow, the man had a soulful voice. For people of my generation, Junaid's voice and his songs will always be a huge part of our childhoods.
Thank you so. much for everything, Junaid Jamshed and I will forever be Sorry.
Whatever path you took, you excelled and inspired.
May Allah bless him and grant him a high rank in Jannah.
