Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 25: Composer and singer Abhishek Ray and singer Pratibha Singh Baghel have come together for Kaise – The Music Of Goodbye, a soulful ghazal jazz fusion that tugs at your heartstrings.
Abhishek and Pratibha are highly successful and acclaimed artists in Bollywood, but their belief that independent music is the future of the music industry led them to collaborate for Kaise, a song that captures the sorrow and other emotions associated with separation.
It is their fourth song together after collaborating for Sufi rock in Dhaagey, Indian folk in Kanha ki Preet, and love ballad Ilzaam.
Kaise is a melody with Indian nuances, but the music video has Abhishek playing a live grand piano with Prabitha’s lilting vocals. The ghazal is sprinkled with world music that sounds like 12 string guitars, panpipes, cajun, and violas and takes listeners to another world altogether.
Kaise has been released on Abhishek’s YouTube channel (link: https://youtu.be/5RMvYXH80K8), where it has had more than 108,000 views in just a few days, and all leading music platforms, and has received an overwhelming response.
“There is a myth that audiences only want to hear peppy and happy dance numbers. To a great extent, music companies are responsible for this myth. Sorrow and separation are as much a part of our lives as happiness. Songs like Kaise and my earlier show that audiences appreciate good music irrespective of the genre,” says Abhishek, who has created the original music of films such as Paan Singh Tomar, Welcome Back, Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster, and I am Kalam, among others.
For her part, Pratibha, who has sung for films like Bell Bottom, Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya, Manikarnika, and Bandish Bandits, says, “Abhishek is a very talented composer and singer, and also a dear friend. I loved singing Kaise with him. The song is a beautiful melody and captures the feeling and emotions of separation.”
Abhishek has performed with icons such as Shreya Ghoshal, Sonu Nigam, Shaan, Hariharan, Kavita Krishnamurthy, and others, but is all praise for Pratibha.
“She has a unique vocal timbre. Her natural leaning is towards ghazals, but the grains of her voice are ideal for contemporary world music. I have worked with four generations of singers, and Pratibha is definitely one of the most original voices amongst playback singers today,” he says.
Pratibha, on the other hand, says, “It is always fun and a wonderful experience to record with Abhishek. He has a very different approach to composing music. He is very good at capturing the different nuances of melody because of his deep knowledge of both Indian & western music. It is always fun & a wonderful experience to record with him. I’m happy to be associated with him.”
Kaise’s lyrics have been penned by talented writer Abhiruchi Chand, who has also written songs for films such as Kapoor and Sons, NH10, Uri, and October.
Kaise is also a continuation of Abhishek’s legacy to release one non-film video song every month. He has collaborated with Gulzar Sahab, Shreya Ghoshal, Sonu Nigam, Shaan, Hariharan, Kavita Krishnamurthy, and others and recently received the prestigious Mirchi Music Awards for the same.
Abhishek Ray is also known for investing all he earned from Bollywood in rewilding an entire hill and converting it into the famed Sitabani Wildlife Reserve. He was recently awarded Swabhiman Bharat for his exceptional contributions to wildlife conservation.
Vaishnavi Prakash
