In an era where music travels faster than identity can keep up, Arzeen Kamal occupies a compelling in-between space.
A Bangladeshi artist based in Los Angeles, he crafts songs that carry the cadence of rural Bengal while engaging with global sonic textures. His work defies easy categorisation, blending folk revivalism with electronic experimentation, shaped by the experience of existing between cultures.
Arzeen’s journey into music was far from conventional. Initially trained in public health and later pursuing a master’s in cultural anthropology in the US, he did not set out to become a full-time musician. Yet, relocating to Los Angeles and immersing himself in its independent music scene proved transformative.
His musical grounding, however, remains deeply rooted in Bangladesh. In a candid interview with The TIMES of Bangladesh, Arzeen reflected on his early influences, formative years and the musical journey so far.
Trained in Indian semi-classical traditions at BAFA and Altaf Mahmud Sangeet Bidya Niketan, Arzeen later continued classical training under a guru in the US.
“I grew up in a home that had music flowing all the time. I would hear my mother singing while doing household chores. Both my parents listened to music all day,” he said, adding that his primary influence came from his sister.
As a child, Arzeen found encouragement in listeners’ quiet attention. “When I sang, people would ask me to sing their favourite numbers. I really enjoyed this and I think this inspired me to take up singing lessons academically.”
That confidence, however, faltered in early adulthood. He struggled to present his voice and lyrics publicly until his time at Jahangirnagar University.
“I began to feel a sense of belonging and met people who also wrote lyrics and sang. It was there that I gained the confidence to share my talents publicly,” he recalled.
Jahangirnagar became Arzeen’s creative sanctuary, nurturing his instincts and encouraging him to write and compose his own material, eventually forming a distinctive musical language marked by introspection and experimentation.
Arzeen’s compositions blend Bengali folk and spiritual motifs with indie folk and electronic textures. His lyricism often explores longing, mysticism and emotional solitude. This sensibility is evident in his breakout track ‘Kalakala’, which gained viral traction years after its initial release. TikTok reels and playlists introduced him to a wider audience, highlighting the unpredictable nature of digital-age music.
At its peak, Kalakala and related content were removed from streaming platforms for 13 weeks due to copyright issues. For Arzeen, however, the episode reinforced a different measure of success. “The immense popularity of the song in the people’s hearts could not be erased so easily,” he said, underscoring that audience connection outweighs platform visibility.
His artistic philosophy challenges rigid notions of musical purity. “In Bangladesh, I have noticed that many people hold purist views. If someone is trained in Nazrul Sangeet or Rabindra Sangeet, they may consider other forms of music inauthentic. Some even feel that remixing or reinterpreting such music is an insult to the original artform, but that is not necessarily the case. Art can exist in many forms.” This fluid approach allows his music to transcend genres without abandoning its roots.
Interestingly, Kalakala was not his first musical effort. Early releases date back to 2013, with rising popularity between 2016 and 2017 through Nazrul song covers. His approach is notably self-sufficient. In an industry driven by collaboration, he often writes, composes, sings, produces and edits his own work. His single Phirey Aye (Come Back) exemplifies this ethos, reflecting both his artistic intent and the realities of diasporic creation, where infrastructure can be limited.
Arzeen initially built his audience among Bangladeshi expatriates, performing in cities such as Las Vegas, New York and San Diego, and across US music festivals. These performances combined original compositions with reinterpretations of Bengali folk, bridging nostalgia and reinvention.
His ambitions extend beyond the diaspora, aiming to introduce Bangla-language songwriting to global audiences without diluting its cultural specificity. Collaborations with international artists, including the genre-fluid psychedelic world-pop band Mystical Joyride, have expanded his sonic palette.
Performing abroad, he observed an instinctive resonance with audiences unfamiliar with Bangla. “They all sang along when the chorus ‘kalakala’ hit, and loved dancing to the rhythms,” he said, affirming his belief that music transcends language and geography.
The visual language of his work has sparked conversation. The Kalakala video, featuring three-lensed sunglasses, drew both praise and criticism. “It was difficult to convey the meaning to the mass audience. The third lens represents the third eye, or the eye of the soul, something Durga also has,” he explained.
For Arzeen, the concept of the “third eye” embodies empathy and awareness. “With insight, you can see beyond race, ethnicity and religion. The more insight you have, the more empathy you will have.”
His musical influences are similarly expansive, ranging from Pratima Bandopadhyay and Bari Siddiqui to Lady Gaga, Mehdi Hassan, Dil Ruba, and Nargis.
For Arzeen, virality is not a culmination but a beginning and a chance to reintroduce his catalogue to a new generation. Yet the significance of his work lies beyond any single hit.
Arzeen represents a generation of Bangladeshi musicians redefining what it means to create from the margins of geography while remaining anchored in cultural memory.
