Singer Shibani Kashyap gives Kishore Kumar’s Mere Mehboob an R&B spin and the result is a peppy love ballad!

Sheetal

Every successful singer likes to recreate popular Hindi songs from the golden era and singer Shibani Kashyap is no exception. She has collaborated with Saregama music for her latest song, Mere Mehboob, which was originally sung by legendary singer Kishore Kumar. Shibani has tried to give this soulful song about unrequited love a youthful global vibe.

Shibani says, “I love this song for its catchy and haunting melody. I think many singers have sung it before me. So, I wanted to do something unexpected and unusual. I did not want to repeat the same instruments and percussions, so I decided to give it the R&B flavour, which resulted in imparting an international feel to this age-old Hindi gem.”

And the result is amazing! The musical arrangement was done by American producers and arrangers and she credits them for the very happening feel that the song imparts. “I did the same thing with my successful song Sajna Aa Bhi Ja from Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part 2. While it is a Sufi song but the music has a global appeal. In fact, that’s what I always like to do or one can say, that’s always been my shtick,” says Shibani.

Shot in Arunachal Pradesh, Shibani is all praise for the tourism ministry of the state. She recollects how things fell into place automatically. “After the lockdown, my very first show was organised in Arunachal Pradesh, a place people in this part of India don’t know much about. I was quite apprehensive. But when I saw the pictures of the state, I didn’t have to think twice. I visited this quaint town called Seppa during the time of Nyokum-Yullo festival. Every year, more than 10,000 people gather to celebrate this festival with pomp and show. I was glad that I arrived two days before the festival and shot for my song. There are so beautiful memories of the place and the people I carry along.”

The Jogiya singer has been travelling ever since, right from Bhubaneswar to Dubai Expo 2022. She visited Chandigarh for the Hunar Haat expo and is happy that the live show culture is back. She says, “I consider performing at Dubai Expo no less than a feather in my cap. The artisans had designed the Indian pavilion as mini India. It was like walking through metaverse. It leaves you with the feeling that you are walking along the ghats of River Ganga and having a guided tour of ISRO. It was a beautiful experience.”

As many singers and actors have started opting for the metaverse, Shibani longs to have a large studio in the virtual world. “It will help singers to collaborate as owning a big studio in Mumbai with all the luxuries and essentials is not possible for every singer. It would be possible to invite the avatars of fans to come and join apart from fellow singers,” she explains.

The singer is in awe of young talented people around her. She included a 17-year-old boy as DOP in her entourage for live shows, which earlier had musicians, make-up artistes and her manager. Shibani has plans to start online as well as offline music institute to hone young talents.

Shibani has just released her Punjabi song Neendra and another one, I Swear, is in the pipeline. In June, Shibani will also be performing live alongside Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej.