***Popular singer Asif Akbar's career remains unwavering, despite finding peak success many years ago. The artiste continues to churn out one hit song after another, and has recently embarked on a new mission. He opens up about his projects, his career goals and more.***

What are you currently working on?

I have been quite busy. I made a promise that I would release 100 new songs this year, and so far I've made 85, out of which 42 have been released. I will complete the remaining 15 new singles by the end of this year. I am not certain about the release dates though.

With so many songs to work on, are you worried about quality?

Quality is something I will never compromise on, as an artiste. Most of the music for

my tracks is composed by Tonin Munshi. You have also appeared as a model in many music videos. Could you elaborate on that? Music videos have been in high demand than ever before, and it is very important for an artiste to keep up with the times, and stay relevant. My fans have expressed to see me in music videos, and that is why I do them. But most of all, it is something that I enjoy doing.

Is there a reason behind your sudden dabbling in folk music?

Folk touches the hearts of everyone who performs and listens to it. I love folk music, and it's a great pleasure to experiment with new forms outside my repertoire. I plan to travel to Sylhet soon to perform folk music for fans there.

What is your stance on the music industry today?

There is an increasing emergence of new music, which is always a positive factor. I do believe the music industry has made giant strides in recent years, and its market-

ability is also improving.

You have been in the recording studio or shooting sets every day. What sort of pressure has this created on you?

Music is everything to me. I am so busy recording or filming that I cannot make time for social programmes. I love what I do so much that I do not feel it is taking a toll on me in any way. Next year, I plan to be even busier.