If you don’t believe you can do it, then you have no chance at all. Believe in yourself and your ideas, and just do it. Ignore the imaginary audience; creatives worry about what others might think before it’s even started.” - Abdulla Mahmood

Abdulla Mahmood, widely known as Whatsmahmood, possesses a profound passion for crafting immersive narratives through music and film. He discusses his artistic evolution, inspirations and future ambitions with Kristian Harrison.

Abdulla’s initial foray into performance began in theatre during his school days. “Shortly after, I saw a Jimi Hendrix video for the first time in 2009. I bought a guitar from a supermarket and learned to play it the same day. I’ve been playing music every day since,” he recalls.

When discussing his influences, Abdulla states: “It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what influenced me – it’s all a melting pot of jazz, blues, rock, funk, disco, soul, punk and indie. However, Michael Jackson and Jimi Hendrix have been substantial influences, not just on my music but on me as an artist.”

A New Direction
Abdulla has recently shifted from traditional music videos to creating short films, a change driven by his desire to offer more substantive content to his audience. “I had a deep philosophical realisation about music videos being too superficial: I’m now focused on giving my audience something with more value, something with a story,” he explains.

His first venture into filmmaking was filled with challenges, from learning about editing and colour grading to understanding camera settings and lighting. “I’ve never made a film before; I’ve done music videos shot and edited on iPhones. The entire film was one huge challenge, but luckily, I had a lot of help from my friends,” Abdulla shares.

Collaboration and Community Response
Key collaborations have been central to Abdulla’s recent projects. “Filmmaker Moayyed is a brother to me: without him, there is no film. Sean Aaron Fernandes has produced all of my currently published songs. He’s a real gem in Bahrain, a humble man I’m honoured to call a friend” he acknowledges.

The response to his new approach has been overwhelmingly positive. “I’m extremely grateful that we made people laugh from around the region. The feedback has been constant from places like Kuwait, Saudi, Qatar, Egypt and Oman,” Abdulla remarks, pleased with the regional impact of his work.

Looking Ahead
Looking to the future, Abdulla is focused on his next three films, with themes ranging from romance to the poignant issue of ageing. “My future goals in music and film are what you’re seeing right now. I just want to keep doing it and sustain my creative expression financially,” he asserts.

Abdulla also offers advice to aspiring artists: “If you don’t believe you can do it, then you have no chance at all. Believe in yourself and your ideas, and just do it. Ignore the imaginary audience; creatives worry about what others might think before it’s even started,” he concludes.

Follow Whatsmahmood’s creative journey on Instagram and YouTube @whatsmahmood

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