debut: 2/16/17
38,889 runs
The power of words–Muhammad Muwakil using his music to inspire change
Words are undeniably powerful. They can evoke strong emotions, shape perceptions, and even influence both positive and negative behaviour. Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Muhammad Muwakil understands the power of words, and he has been using his lyrics to inspire listeners.“My style (lol), I guess, is a collection of all your experiences and how you responded and continue to respond to them. My style is different because my experience of life has been very different, and I’ve not tried to be anyone else but myself,” he explained.“I grew up with a father who was a warrior for justice in the community; everything about him was geared towards making the world more just. That is a part of my style. I grew up reading the Qur’an, and the tones of Arabic are all over my voice and in my melodies, which is my style. I love words, and I’ve seen their power, and I try not to take them for granted; that’s my style.” Muwakil’s dad, Salim Muwakil, who was part of the 1990 insurrection in T&T, was shot and killed at his Diego Martin home in 2022.
The singer entered the 2025 Young Kings competition and copped third place with Take Me Home. Anthony La Fleur, known as “Squeezy Rankin”, was crowned the winner with his song Justice, while second place went to Kyle Cowie (KC) with his song Western Town.“I think for a first time entering a national competition with a song that is pushing the boundaries of what we have traditionally accepted calypso to be, placing third is a phenomenal achievement against a field of seasoned veterans,” he said.The Belmont entertainer started singing in his primary school choir at St Joseph TML. A practising Muslim, he also grew up reciting the Qur’an, which is a sort of singing in itself. At the age of 26, he joined the group Freetown Collective.“Well, as you may know, many Muslims consider music haraam (forbidden by God),” he said. “Being an active member of my community at the time, I was admonished and in many ways ostracised and looked down on for choosing to make music.”
“My grandmother has been a guiding hand from the moment I was born, a bit of an obsessive-type parent if we’re being honest, but I understand that the world is a dangerous place for us before we even know what it is, so she always wanted to protect me,” he said.“In many ways, fighting against being coddled was a part of my formation, but also, Granny always provided a soft place to land, a constant love in a really tumultuous upbringing. My grandmother and grandfather provided stability for me and my siblings that, in the end, really saved our lives and set us on a path to win.”Granny Neila is quite popular for her witty conversations with the entertainer on social media. “Never in a million years did I ever think she would blow up like this; I think she may have hit 100k on Instagram; I have to check,” he said.“She is a star and has always been, and I’m just happy that towards the evening of her life, she is getting to experience what it is like to be so widely adored simply for who she is.”
Conflict : we are related...
Granny Neila is a hit on instagram
Muwakil will be performing with Freetown Collective at Sound Forge, Mucurapo Road, Port-of-Spain tonight from 7 pm. The event will also feature a marketplace that opens at 6 pm.
Words are undeniably powerful. They can evoke strong emotions, shape perceptions, and even influence both positive and negative behaviour. Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Muhammad Muwakil understands the power of words, and he has been using his lyrics to inspire listeners.“My style (lol), I guess, is a collection of all your experiences and how you responded and continue to respond to them. My style is different because my experience of life has been very different, and I’ve not tried to be anyone else but myself,” he explained.“I grew up with a father who was a warrior for justice in the community; everything about him was geared towards making the world more just. That is a part of my style. I grew up reading the Qur’an, and the tones of Arabic are all over my voice and in my melodies, which is my style. I love words, and I’ve seen their power, and I try not to take them for granted; that’s my style.” Muwakil’s dad, Salim Muwakil, who was part of the 1990 insurrection in T&T, was shot and killed at his Diego Martin home in 2022.
The singer entered the 2025 Young Kings competition and copped third place with Take Me Home. Anthony La Fleur, known as “Squeezy Rankin”, was crowned the winner with his song Justice, while second place went to Kyle Cowie (KC) with his song Western Town.“I think for a first time entering a national competition with a song that is pushing the boundaries of what we have traditionally accepted calypso to be, placing third is a phenomenal achievement against a field of seasoned veterans,” he said.The Belmont entertainer started singing in his primary school choir at St Joseph TML. A practising Muslim, he also grew up reciting the Qur’an, which is a sort of singing in itself. At the age of 26, he joined the group Freetown Collective.“Well, as you may know, many Muslims consider music haraam (forbidden by God),” he said. “Being an active member of my community at the time, I was admonished and in many ways ostracised and looked down on for choosing to make music.”
“My grandmother has been a guiding hand from the moment I was born, a bit of an obsessive-type parent if we’re being honest, but I understand that the world is a dangerous place for us before we even know what it is, so she always wanted to protect me,” he said.“In many ways, fighting against being coddled was a part of my formation, but also, Granny always provided a soft place to land, a constant love in a really tumultuous upbringing. My grandmother and grandfather provided stability for me and my siblings that, in the end, really saved our lives and set us on a path to win.”Granny Neila is quite popular for her witty conversations with the entertainer on social media. “Never in a million years did I ever think she would blow up like this; I think she may have hit 100k on Instagram; I have to check,” he said.“She is a star and has always been, and I’m just happy that towards the evening of her life, she is getting to experience what it is like to be so widely adored simply for who she is.”
Conflict : we are related...
Granny Neila is a hit on instagram
Muwakil will be performing with Freetown Collective at Sound Forge, Mucurapo Road, Port-of-Spain tonight from 7 pm. The event will also feature a marketplace that opens at 6 pm.
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