Om Bikram Bista, one of the most renowned musicians of Nepal was born on February 16th of 1955, in Kathmandu. Bista was a ‘trendsetter’ and started a new era in the Nepali music industry. He brought the pop genre and faced many backlashes for starting something new as well. He gave some of the greatest hits in music and is loved by a lot of people.
Bista has been an aspiring musician since the age of 9 and he is one of those brave people who were just meant to create their own new path. His love for music began at that age and it never stopped. Many changes came in life but his love for music remained the same. People still sing his songs because it is here to stay. Bista proved the true power of music with his love for music.
Born: February 16th, 1955
Popular as: King of Pop
Om Bikram Bista, a singer, songwriter, and a musician was born in Naradevi but grew up in Wotu, Indrachwok. He was raised in a Newari community and is also fluent in the language. When he was 8 years old, he heard the song “A Hard Day’s Night” by The Beatles outside a record shop outside Ranjana Hall. The song attracted him so much that he fell in love with music.
At a very young age, he was into western music and loved bands like The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. One day, he heard a loud music of electric guitars and drums that were not common to be heard in the alleys where he lived. The music took him to the place where a band of boys were playing the instruments. He climbed 2 storeys to see what the sight of the energetic music was like. Hanging on to the wall and stretching his body to see just a glimpse of the band, his hands felt numb and fell down from 2 storey height.
Fortunately, he landed on sand and only had minor scratches. He did become unconscious and the people who saw him immediately took him to the room where there was the music band. When he woke up, instead of feeling any pain, he quickly reached towards the electric guitar. People laughed out of relief and the funny manoeuvre of Bista.
Bista’s father also got him a guitar which costed NRs. 60 during those days. Bista, unaware of how the guitar should be played, would play it however he wanted. It was nothing but noise. But he took his guitar to the band of boys and they taught him how to actually play it. Bista would practise every day with his delicate baby fingers. His fingers would bleed but he would still keep on practising.
He played his music amidst the crowd of the dabali in Basantapur and amazed the crowd. It was the first song he composed which was a Newari piece.
Bista’s father bought a record player where Bista would record his Beatles’ song.
When he was in the 10th standard, he won the All Nepal Competition in his school. King Mahendra was one of the guests and really enjoyed Bista’s performance. Bista was so excited about the prize but the school kept it.
After SLC, Bista wasted 2 years doing nothing. Adolescent, he was and so was his love of trying new things. He was so much into music that his father threw his guitar. Even though the guitar was broken, Bista carried it whenever he went. It was the hippie era and Jhochhen used to be full of foreigners smoking marijuana.
Bista’s mother would be worried about her son because of the environment there. Fortunately, Bista was not a smoker. One day he did take a deep puff of marijuana stick and was straight-up admitted to the hospital for 1 entire day. He promised to himself then that he will never smoke ever again.
During the hippie era, Bista bought worn belly button jeans of a foreigner in NRs. 16 which he flaunted with a cowboy hat and his broken guitar. Then he became ‘the trendsetter’. He was the first person in Nepal to ever flaunt belly button jeans. With long hair, he looked no less than a fashionista.
Those days also had a trend of wearing skinny jeans and go go pants. Bista would cut out the ends of those pants and sew it with whatever fabric he had – including his mom’s saree – to turn them on belly button jeans. He, along with his friend, used to wear them and were heavily teased by the people. They called him lunatic for the weird fashion sense.
Fashion wasn’t the only topic that Bista was bashed for. It was his creation in music as well. Bista was the first person who brought a completely different turn in the Nepali Music Industry. Unlike the traditional music that Nepalese were used to, Bista introduced the western trend and created his own version of music.
He faced a lot of criticism and also had a lot of haters. People used to complain about Bista to his father (director of Radio Nepal) and his father would come and pass it on to him. A bit soft on heart, Bista also felt bad. But his love for music and his innovation was stronger.
One of his greatest hits was “Ma Maunatama” that he composed with the help of Robert Subba, Puru Thapa and Subarna Limbu. He also gave hits like Yaad Gara Ti Din Haru. But Bista did not realise he was a sensation. With his bright fashion sense and people enjoying his music, Bista couldn’t say when he became popular.
His style included a little touch of Elvis Presley and Dingo Boots that he used to call The Beatles Boots. He collected those Dingo Boots from different parts of the world and would often end up lending it to Bhuwan KC for his shoots.
Bista also started the deusi bhailo program on Radio Nepal. He introduced the term ‘modern’ during the traditional days.
Those days, the recording took a lot of time. And for a single record, Bista would earn only NRs. 20. But Bista had more expenses than his income. Bista was also the one who started the system of paying artists for recording.
Coming from a musical background, Bista did have a little support. His mother would sneak and give him a little money so that he could use it for recording. Bista made his debut on Radio Nepal at the age of 14 when it was time for his SLC. His brother and sister had a good job so they would help Bista as well.
Om Bikram Bista is the son of Daulat Bikram Bista and Nutan Kurari Bista. He had seven brothers and 2 sisters. His family was from a musical background as well.
Bista, with only a little fame, married a girl from Darjeeling at the age of 19. With less knowledge about the family background of his lover, he struggled for 2 years with financial issues. He was not allowed to enter the house because of his sudden marriage. His mother helped him during the days. After his parents got the news of his wife getting pregnant, the family finally reunited and Bista continued his musical journey again. They have 4 daughters and 1 son. Later, because of the lack of understanding, they separated.
Later, he remarried again and travelled to many places. Because of how responsible his wife was, his children easily accepted him. After 6 years of togetherness, she left this world. Now, he lives with his daughter and son-in-law in New York, America.
He has had a kidney transplant and saddened the country. There were a few mistakes with his medications but fortunately, he is better and says the struggles were part of his life.
Bista wasted 2 years after SLC doing nothing but eventually felt the pain of his father and has completed BA.
An Evening for Gorkha: A Charity For Earthquake Victims at Royal Albert Hall London, Balaju Street Festival, National Industrial Expo Hetauda Makwanpur, Tudikhel Kathmandu, AMBAN, The Rocky Mountain Friends of Nepal, California NRN, King Of POP Stadium Rangasala, Peace Musical Tour all over Nepal ( SUNDAR SHANTA NEPAL) During the period of war Japan Tour, Kalimpong, India Tour – Miric, India Tour – Gangtok, India Tour – Darjeeling Sangeet Sarita, Hongkong Tour
Has been on tour for countries: India, China, Bangladesh, Japan, Hongkong, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, France, Germany, England, Denmark, Switzerland, Nederland, Belgium, USA, Canada, and Australia.
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