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  • SEASON FINALE! Watch the video: https://youtu.be/JOGMObhQcvk

    @JonKabir widely recognized for being a musician and a prominent vocalist hailing from the Bangladeshi rock scene. Jon started his career almost 20 years ago and burst into the scene with the popular band Black. After Jon left the band, he has been delivering the goods with popular rock band Indalo and as an established solo act.

    The thing that I find most interesting about Jon’s journey is how he has always reinvented himself as a musician. Neither Indalo nor his solo act pull numbers like his early works - but that hasn’t stopped him from staying true to his authentic creative pursuits - and that’s what I absolutely love about Jon’s career.

    Beyond all this Jon is also a fellow podcaster - because that’s also a term these days. So this was also a very cool discussion to have with someone who has been doing this for a few years too.

    In this episode we talk about what it's been like to make music for the last two decades, Jon’s creative process and how the digital world has completely shifted the landscape for musicians today.

    Special thanks to Akib Shahriar for the camera work and to @SameerScane for the studio space!

    This episode was recorded in early 2023, and the artwork in the animation was done by the talented @ahmedfahim-exe

    00:00 - Intro
    01:55 - Why Jon started a podcast
    04:09 - Effects of not reading books on writing
    08:52 - Writing songs in Bangla
    09:51 - Bangla language's limitations to craft songs
    13:04 - Who is 'Jon Kabir'?
    14:26 - Why music?
    17:30 - Staying authentic as an artist
    23:26 - Starting career anew
    25:33 - Confronting challenges
    27:11 - Defining Success in Music
    30:54 - Teamwork as a 'loner'
    33:04 - Balance between Creativity and Execution
    36:35 - Identity struggles within bands
    37:08 - The Metallica Syndrome
    40:12 - Jon's thoughts to change the industry
    43:35 - Breaking the language barrier for global audience
    46:08 - Defining quality music
    49:41 - Tackling memes and criticism
    50:52 - The artistic challenge
    52:19 - Making money as a musician
    53:57 - Perspectives on new generations
    56:50 - The role of emotions in music
    57:33 - Creative ruts
    58:10 - Creative routine
    01:01:22 - The future of music in Bangladesh
    01:02:23 - Personal goals
    01:03:34 - Jon's favourite artists
    01:03:57 - Advice for aspiring artists
    01:04:51 - Outro

  • Nuhash Humayun is a writer and a director from Dhaka, Bangladesh. He made his local TV debut in 2017 - and has since written and directed a growing catalogue of short films, music videos, TV shows and advertisements.

    One of his latest horror shorts, Moshari, has won a number of accolades including the South by South West Jury Award and awards from Fantasia, HollyShorts and Melbourne festivals, and is the first Bangladeshi film ever to qualify for an Oscar. It has done so well that Hollywood juggernauts like Jordan Peele and Riz Ahmed are set to Executive Produce the live-action short. In fact his other recent works, like Pett Kata Shaw and Foreigners Only on Hulu has won multiple global awards.

    @nuhashhYT is currently writing a script for a major Hollywood Studio and is working on his first feature length film. Nuhash is also the son of legendary Bangladeshi novelist, screenwriter and personality Humayun Ahmed.

    In this episode we talk about his creative process, how he navigates a complicated landscape and why he chooses horror of all things to make films about.

    This episode was recorded in early 2023, and the artwork in the animation was done by the talented @ahmedfahim-exe

    00:00 - Intro
    01:45 - Why horror?
    03:28 - The intersection of horror and Bangladeshi culture
    06:34 - Being true to oneself
    07:08 - Who is 'Nuhash Humayun'
    08:33 - Nuhash's illustrious family
    11:09 - Other side of fame
    12:37 - Keeping up with family identity
    15:57 - How family identity affects work
    22:05 - Motivation behind filmmaking
    22:59 - Collaboration
    28:07 - Defining filmmaking
    30:51 - The role of social media
    34:37 - Leveraging social media
    36:33 - Balancing multiple responsibilities
    39:01 - Creative writing process
    43:33 - Incorporating audience feedback
    46:36 - Defining success
    47:26 - 'Moshari' and its appeal
    51:37 - Defining quality work
    55:09 - Biggest gap in the industry
    58:12 - Film production challenges
    58:55 - Impact of fame on artistic work
    01:02:15 - Overcoming unhappyness through art
    01:04:08 - Nuhash's creative routine
    01:05:04 - Nuhash's favourite artists
    01:06:45 - Nuhash's dream collab with his father
    01:09:29 - Envisioning filmmaking's future
    01:11:00 - Personal goals
    01:12:25 - Advice for aspiring filmmakers
    01:14:33 - Outro

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  • Dameer Khan is an indie-pop singer-songwriter and a producer. At just 22, he has released quite a few singles and an EP, all of which has gained millions of views and streams and has gotten him a niche following. I stumbled upon Dameer’s work first in 2017, and almost instantly became a fan of his work. Beyond his nostalgic tunes, @Dameer 's music videos are cinematic and a joy to watch personally.

    In this episode we talked about his journey, his identity as a musician and how he utilises his community to become a better creator. Dameer is big on the use of social media to promote your art - which is always an interesting take these days and we dive deep into that side of things as well.

    Just a note that this podcast was recorded in early 2023, and the artwork in the animation was done by none other than the guest of this episode @ahmedfahim.archives

    AUDIO: https://stateofthecreators.buzzsprout.com/

    00:00 Intro
    02:05 A colour for each song
    04:27 Who is Dameer?
    05:08 Canada
    06:44 Dameer's early days
    08:38 Dameer's creative family and band "Renaissance"
    10:36 Why study Poli-Science?
    14:14 Leveraging a uni degree
    16:22 Music in 'Bangla Language'
    21:13 Malaysia
    23:00 The Harmony of Two Languages in Music.
    26:04 Was moving out a good decision?
    28:30 Writing music in simple lyrics
    33:46 Fandom
    38:54 Dameer's dream
    43:26 Bangladesh through an artist's lens
    45:19 Beginning of a music career
    47:30 "Amar Jaan"
    48:26 Navigating negativity
    50:22 Using autotune
    52:54 Defining quality music
    55:39: Making money as a musician
    01:01:09 Tackling memes and criticisms
    01:02:22 The Artistic Challenge
    01:04:32 Creative routine
    01:05:24 Creative ruts
    01:05:55 Exploring other music projects
    01:06:32 Discovering new music
    01:07:49 Dameer's favourite acts
    01:12:10 Dameer's ambitions
    01:15:03 Advice for aspiring artists
    01:18:00 Outro

  • Ahmed Fahim is an illustrator, a designer, and an artist based in Bangladesh. Over the years he’s worked on some of the finest projects in regards to digital illustrations and designs.

    However recently Fahim was diagnosed with a terminal illness, it has changed his entire outlook on his creative work and his life as a whole.

    So this one gets a little heavy at one point.

    Just a note that this podcast was recorded in early 2022, more than a year ago now, and the artwork in the animation was done by none other than the guest of this episode @ahmedfahim.archives

    WATCH THE VIDEO: https://youtu.be/wRreUGapNig

    00:00 Intro
    05:12 The identity of 'Ahmed Fahim'
    07:33 Origin story
    09:16 Why illustrations?
    09:49 Supportive parents
    12:47 Why choose architecture?
    14:09 Art as a business
    16:46 Seeking inspiration
    20:41 Could AI replace artists?
    26:54 Fahim's favourite artists
    31:16 Confronting creative ruts
    34:51 Personal habits
    36:40 Defining quality content
    37:21 Living with life-threatening disease
    42:33 Driving change through art
    45:55 Leaving a legacy
    48:18 Words of advice for aspiring artists
    49:15 Outro

  • Rakin Absar is a comedian, an online creator and a social media juggernaut from Bangladesh with hundreds of thousands of followers online. He started his career in Vine, a short form social media platform almost a decade ago, became a significant name with his work on YouTube but then he took a break for a couple of years.

    In this episode we explore @MrAbsar 's journey, how social media has evolved for creators over the decade and how he’s built a career in this.

    Just a note that this podcast was recorded in early 2022, more than a year ago now, and the artwork in the animation was done by the talented Ahmed Fahim.

    Hope you enjoy the show.

    00:00 Intro
    01:23 Rakin's "real" personality
    03:55 Why "Mr. Absar" as a stage name?
    05:56 Start of the career
    08:08 Reason behind Rakin's break
    10:57 Coming back into the scene
    13:57 Professionalism in the industry
    18:40 Lack of variety in content
    21:41 Dealing with brands
    29:05 Financial aspects of brand collaborations
    32:16 Career without brands
    35:47 Supportive parents?
    36:42 Dealing with negativity
    38:38 Out of content?
    40:28 Prioritizing mental health as a creator
    48:05 Confronting creative ruts
    50:42 Biggest rewards as a creator
    52:32 Defining quality content
    53:37 Creators Rakin looks up to
    55:39 Future of creaotrs
    57:04 Advice for aspiring creators
    58:30 Outro

    Find out more about Tawsif: www.tawsifakkas.com

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tawsifakkas
    Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/tawsifakkas

  • Taha Ismail is a Bangladeshi filmmaker based in London. He is also the co-founder of Collective Unconscious - a creative production studio & collective working across film, music, fashion & more. Recently, Taha even won gold at the prestigious London Award Show for his work.

    I came across Taha’s work through an incredible viral video of his back when viral videos weren’t even a thing. He had recreated in real life - an entire cutscene in the style of popular video game called GTA San Andreas. Today it might not seem a lot, but it was quite a big deal then. Today Taha’s work spans across incredible short films to music videos, and his work has been featured on US television, BBC, film festivals, and many other places.

    In this episode, @tahaismailtvbd and I discuss his journey and what it takes to be a filmmaker in the modern world.

    Just a note that this podcast was recorded in early 2022 and the artwork in the animation was done by the talented Ahmed Fahim.

    00:00 - Intro
    01:34 - Why the "Unconscious"?
    03:03 - Who is Taha Ismail?
    04:30 - Is Film School worth it?
    08:34 - Taha's early days
    12:24 - Why Taha stopped uploading to YouTube
    15:21- State of YouTube today
    16:31- Why create something new?
    20:35 - Dealing with identity
    21:59 - Catering for different audiences
    24:07 - Music Videos vs. Short Films
    29:23 - The lack of appreciation for work
    33:16 - What is quality?
    34:32 - Supportive parents
    35:53 - Creative ruts
    38:45 - Daily rituals
    39:38 - Consuming a variety of work
    42:37 - Dream collaboration
    43:38 - Taha's goal in 5 years
    45:47 - Advice for aspiring filmmakers

    Find out more about Tawsif: www.tawsifakkas.com

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tawsifakkas
    Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/tawsifakkas

  • WATCH THE VIDEO: https://youtu.be/lNkJOsSQNFk

    Naina Husain is an artist and an illustrator and she is the founder of byNainah.

    Her art is inspired by South Asia’s people, its culture, and its colors. She started drawing purely through creative expression, but now she has turned it into somewhat of a creator business - so much so that she’s been featured on outlets like Insider and Mashable.

    In this episode we talk about her creative journey, how she utilises social media for her art, and how to sustain a career as an illustrator.

    This podcast was recorded in early 2022 and the artwork in the animation was done by the talented @ahmedfahimfilms .

    00:00 Intro
    01:28 Who is Naina Hussain?
    06:53 Tackling identity
    09:49 Early life
    16:19 Stepping into fashion designing
    21:08 Starting from scratch
    25:24 Building an audience
    28:50 Dealing with hate
    30:35 Imposter syndrome
    32:48 Creative ruts
    33:55 What is quality?
    34:16 The biggest reward
    35:32 Favourite creators
    38:25 Advice for aspiring creators

    Find out more about Tawsif: www.tawsifakkas.com

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tawsifakkas
    Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/tawsifakkas

  • WATCH THE VIDEO: https://youtu.be/F6rWR-xp8tI

    @ArmeenMusa is a singer-songwriter, poet, music director, performer and so much more. She studied at the world famous Berklee College of music and has had a great impact in the Bangladeshi and South Asian music scene. She has her own solo set called the Ghaashphoring Choir, and has also been a significant name in the @CokeStudioBangla project.

    I have been a fan of Armeen’s work from her early days so it was a great privilege for me to have this conversation with her. We talk about her journey, we discuss what it takes to be a musician in this modern era, and we dive deep into her philosophies about art.

    Just a note that this podcast was recorded in early 2022 and the artwork in the animation was done by the talented @ahmedfahimfilms .

    00:00 Intro
    01:20 Who is Armeen Musa?
    02:50 Armeen's Illustrious Family
    06:45 Early life
    08:38 Balancing Music and Studies
    13:07 "Bhromor Koio"
    18:34 Why Berklee College of Music?
    23:28 Studying Music vs. Practical Application
    28:25 Leadership as a Creator
    33:00 Are creative degrees needed?
    38:00 Satisfying the creating itch
    44:37 Pressure of achieving success
    47:49 Using social media for music
    55:38 Why continue as a musician despite the challenges?
    01:02:23 What is quality?
    01:07:16 Upcoming projects
    01:08:15 Advice for aspiring creators
    01:11:07 Outro

    Find out more about Tawsif: www.tawsifakkas.com

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tawsifakkas
    Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/tawsifakkas

  • Abir Ahmed Chowdhury is an independent consultant in the international development sector - with a background in economics and development. He is also my co-founder in @plaantik . For those who don’t know Plaantik is a football media company that we have been running for over a decade now, and over the years we’ve done some pretty cool things in the world of football. For instance, we just launched a book a month ago, and regularly cater to millions of football fans online daily.

    In this episode, we go through what it takes to run a social media first content entity, that too remotely, we discuss the evolution of media and content that we have seen over the last ten years and how we have been doing this for so long.

    Animation and illustration: Ahmed Fahim

    00:00 Intro
    01:51 Who is Abir Ahmed Chowdhury?
    03:26 Life before Plaantik
    05:58 What prompted you to create Plaantik?
    10:50 Figuring it out
    15:25 How Plaantik shaped our careers
    18:10 Challenges with co-founding
    25:50 Importance of community
    28:25 Why stick with Plaantik?
    33:00 The dilemma of pursuing full time
    34:30 Is the audience smarter than the creators?
    35:25 Taking criticism
    37:25 Is Plaantik biased?
    43:11 The monetary side of Plaantik
    50:24 Being adaptable
    53:00 Future of football content
    57:25 Abir's advice for aspiring creators

    Find out more about Tawsif: www.tawsifakkas.com

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tawsifakkas
    Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/tawsifakkas

  • @SeeamShahidNoor is a Product Manager & Sr. Strategy Consultant at IBM - but he is primarily known as a creator in the education space, where he helps aspiring students with tips and tricks to be better at what they do.

    With hundreds of thousands of followers online, Seeam uses his expertise from his current role and draws from his degree at the prestigious Harvard University. In this episode Seeam and I sit down from two different ends of the world and discuss his journey, the creator industry and what it takes to be successful as a creator in the education niche.

    Intro animation: Ahmed Fahim

    00:00 Intro
    01:15 Seeam's Harvard University story
    04:25 Who is Seeam Shahid Noor?
    08:13 Why create content?
    13:03 IBM vs. Content creation
    15:07 Satisfying the creating itch
    16:57 Issue with being a fulltime creator
    18:10 Seeam's growth story
    25:04 What's hard about building an audience
    30:21 Dealing with negativity
    31:49 Is the audience smarter than creators?
    33:27 How the audience influences creators
    35:04 How audience behavior shapes content
    37:38 Lack of a diverse audience
    38:58 Creative rut
    41:22 What is quality content?
    42:07 Biggest reward as a creator
    43:15 Personal goal in 5 years
    44:12 Seeam's advice for aspiring creators
    45:43 Outro

    Find out more about Tawsif: www.tawsifakkas.com

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tawsifakkas
    Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/tawsifakkas

  • Amin Hannan Chowdhury is a comedian and a creator based in Dhaka. He started working alongside Ashik, another rising comedian in the scene, through their self titled stage names Amin and Ashik

    I have always taken a keen interest in the world of comedy, but with the rise of social media, it requires a different approach as a creative and as a creator to be a comedian. In this episode Amin and I go in depth about the creative process of writing a joke, what it’s like to do stand up comedy in a rising scene and how to deal with people who don’t find you funny.

    00:00 Intro
    02:30 Who is Amin Hannan Chowdhury?
    06:30 Social media's impact on stand-up comedy
    09:54 Building authenticity
    15:00 Educating others on stand-up comedy
    17:00 Catering to a mass vs. niche
    18:20 Joking about controversial topics
    20:14 Being safe with jokes
    21:53 Criticisms
    27:36 Defining your audience
    28:55 Low-effort jokes
    35:00 Custom jokes
    37:40 Evolution of audience
    41:31 Public speaking practice for jokes
    42:30 Jokes on difficult days
    45:50 Seeking validation
    49:55 Authentic community
    50:17 Turning trauma into jokes
    53:48 The monetary side of comedy
    58:19 Touring outside Dhaka
    59:10 Repeating jokes
    1:00:00 Consumption behaviour of content
    1:02:40 Amin's dream gig
    1:04:08 Cultural references for jokes
    1:07:00 Future of comedy
    1:08:45 Amin's goal in 5 years
    1:10:00 Advise from Amin for new comedians
    1:11:35 Outro

    Find out more about Tawsif: www.tawsifakkas.com

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tawsifakkas

  • Aydha Mehnaz has years of experience in the world of luxury and fashion, particularly through her role at one of the world’s biggest luxury brands Mugler. She has worked with some of the biggest celebrities in the world like Beyonce and Dua Lipa, and she also works as a creative consultant based between Dhaka and Paris. On top, she has been featured on Vogue, Daily Mail and plenty of other outlets too.

    I have been following Aydha for a while and her work always seemed very interesting to me. She started her career simply through blogging and now is creating in the luxury fashion industry.

    In this episode we go in depth about what it takes to be a creative in the world of fashion, what’s life like in one of the fashion capitals of the world, and how she upholds her identity despite moving to a different country whilst working in such an alien environment.

    Find out more about Tawsif: www.tawsifakkas.com

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tawsifakkas
    Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/tawsifakkas

  • Mostly Borrowed Ideas is the brainchild of Abdullah Al-Rezwan - it's a newsletter that does a monthly deep dive and detailed analysis backed with high quality research on one specific company. MBI started off as a Twitter account (it has closed to a 100, 000 followers) but it slowly turned into a paid newsletter with thousands of subscribers.

    This one is a little bit different to my other episodes because on this one I explore what it takes to be a creator through writing only - a skill that is often overlooked. We go in depth about MBI's journey and why he decided to write about finance, and choose Twitter as the main platform. We also talk about how to grow in the platform and other techniques that will allow a creator to build a following with words.

    Timestamps:

    00:00 - Intro
    01:53 - Why it's called Mostly Borrowed Ideas
    03:15 - A rant on "Originality"
    07:17 - The story of Abdullah and MBI
    12:13 - Do you need external push on social media to succeed?
    14:42 - Writing as a skill set
    17:54 - Generalist vs. Specialist
    22:15 - Why Abdullah hates to talk about his Ivy League achievements
    27:08 - Why Abdullah chooses a pseudonym for Twitter
    30:02 - Expanding beyond a one-man creator show
    37:25 - Monetization as a creator
    41:08 - MBI's deep dive process
    46:00 - Creative blocks as a creator
    49:19 - Planning for content
    50:36 - Facing the toxic side of Twitter
    52:30 - MBI's future plans
    54:47 - 3 pieces of advice from MBI

    Find out more about Tawsif: www.tawsifakkas.com

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tawsifakkas
    Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/tawsifakkas

  • Issa Nibras Farooque is a software engineer. But he leads a Clark Kent / Superman life because he is also a prolific musician and he goes by the name of Farooque Bhai.

    Farooque Bhai hails from a family of musicians and change-makers - so he has always had a fair bit of music in him growing up. It was no different throughout his teens and uni days either when he started jamming and playing with various bands and sounds. But it wasn’t until exploring Soundcloud and releasing his first EP, that he started finding his niche community.

    In this episode we talk about his journey, his foray into different music genres, how he brings professionalism to his creative craft, and his new EP which drops this week.

    This is the first episode of Season 3 of the show.

    You can watch the videos here: https://www.youtube.com/c/TawsifAkkas

  • Shil is a public speaker, a public speaking expert and has coached hundreds of people throughout his career including TEDx speakers, entrepreneurs and creators. One of the most fascinating thing about Shil is that he has a significant case of stutter - and despite that he has built a career in speaking publicly.

    In this episode, Shil and I talk about the fear of creating publicly, about the internal challenges creators face, and how to cope with them when appearing on a public sphere.

    This is also the final episode of season 2! Thanks for tuning in all these months. State of the Creators will return for Season 3.

  • Scott Mellor aka Loston is a graphic artist, a musician, and runs his own design studio called the Studio Thinktank where he has worked with some of the biggest names in the world including Labrinth, Cardi B and Tom Morello from Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave.

    Scott’s based in Perth Australia and I first stumbled upon his work as a musician - only to later find out that he had more than creative facades. So having a chat with him for an episode was only the natural way to feed my curiosity to understand how he works as a multi disciplinary creative - as well as building his own business around his interests. We dug deep on his creative process, how he tackles multiple creative acts at the same time, and his personal journey.


  • Hey creators, a few quick updates about the podcast as we wrap the year up. Thank you for sticking with me. See you soon.

    Sign up to my newsletter: www.tawsifakkas.com
    Follow me on Instagram: @tawsifakkas
    Subscribe on YouTube: Tawsif Akkas

  • Eric Choh aka ericship111 is a full time YouTuber with over 300, 000 subscribers on his channel. Eric was naturally into video games growing up - and today his channel is built around the niche of gaming - specifically the popular racing video game Forza Horizon.

    The thing here though is that I have known Eric personally for over 10 years now. We used to go to the same university for our Bachelors of Architecture and in some ways we were both...let’s say slightly disinterested... on the degree which in a way I guess formed our bond. Even back then, I remember Eric used to just love creating videos and put them up on YouTube. We’ve kept in touch every now and then but a decade later, Eric has turned his passion for gaming into his full time job and that’s pretty awesome.

    In this video, we talk about Eric’s journey into the world of YouTube and gaming, the doors it has opened for him, the struggles of a content creator and how he continues to serve an audience for over a decade. If you are looking to start a YouTube channel, changing careers, or just curious about the world of digital content - this is the episode for you.

    Visit www.tawsifakkas.com for more information.

  • Kerrie Allen is best known for helping creators connect to the industry.

    She also works as a consultant for small to medium businesses, and also has a product line under the label of ‘hey control freak’ which sells products aimed to help business owners to control their chaotic life. So we talk a little about running a business too.

    This episode is going to be slightly different because Kerrie is not a creator in the traditional sense the likes of whom I usually have on this show.

    We speak a bit about Kerrie’s journey, what it means to be creative in a business landscape, and what you need to do to prepare for the creative industry.

  • Sameer is an 18 year old content creator who aspires to be the voice for those who don’t have one.

    His content is about social issues and hardships in Bangladesh and he highlights how we can help or at least try to help solve these problems on an individual level.

    I first found out about Sameer through one of his videos on Instagram where he was passionately talking about the culture of after school tuition in Bangladesh - I remember about this insane culture and how it impacted me negatively as a student so it goes to show his choices of topics are quite interesting.

    While Sameer is not a seasoned creator, he amassed a sizeable audience in less than a year of starting out and that impressed me enough to bring him on the show even though he is still learning the ropes.

    In this episode we talk about what it’s like to be a young creator tackling different topics on the internet, how Sameer tackles a growing toxic audience and a fair bit about the world of creating content for social media.