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A Journey with T-Series’ Latest Offering

T Series’ new born music company - YBR Records’ latest offering Ustad And The Divas, has hit the market on November 27, carries Ustad Sultan Khan alongside the three singing Divas - Chitra, Shreya Ghoshal and Sunidhi Chauhan.

Bhushan Kumar, the head honcho of T Series, presents a new music label called YBR Records Pvt Ltd targeting non-filmi songs except devotional numbers. The first album from YBR, called Ustad And the Divas, features the maestro of classical music Ustad Sultan Khan, who after the colossal success of Piya Basanti, is returning with three of the hottest singing divas, Shreya Goshal, Sunidhi Chauhan and Chitra lending the vocals alongside the legendary Khansaab on six tracks.

The album also features four bonus remix tracks by DJ Mit. The video features elite model Nina Sarkar from Bangalore as the Leja Leja girl and Varun Toorkey, the dashing young model from Mumbai,

Says music director Sandesh Shandilya whose association with Khansaab goes beyond the Piya Basanti days, “with Khansaab, the more you experiment, the more beautiful it is. The vision emerged from the discussions of lyricist Irshad Kamil, myself and album directors Vinay Sapru and Radhika Rao.”

Sandesh feels that Khan saab being from a classical gharana, and him being a veteran who has been with Madonna in Duran Duran, his knowledge of music makes a vital difference. “Alongside Chitraji whose voice was in Piya Basanti, there are two of our best singers Sunidhi Chauhan and Shreya Ghoshal, and the excitement has only increased. People have not heard Shreya and Sunidhi singing with Khan saab.” avers Sandesh, adding that with T Series behind the marketing, there will be no stone unturned.

Featuring in the album are some romantic and some foot-tapping numbers with Khan saab’s soulful voice mesmerizing the listeners. Sandesh expresses that the USP of the album is “the good poetry, with each voice bringing its own charm to the lyrics by Irshad Kamil.”

Adds Irshad Kamil who has been behind the lyrics of films like Chameli and Shabd among others, “there is a vision of the album and we took it forward. Normally, in films, lyrics are situational but here, I had total freedom and am not bound by any situation. This time, Sandeshji tried to give meaning to words, and in one or two places I tried to enhance the beauty of composition. And I was not bound. So, I could write anything. in any situation. This was a very beautiful feeling for me. As the lyrics tell the story… In the album, you can see the story through the lyrics. The romance reflected in this album is very pure and dedicated. It is the romance in every Indian’s life.”

Shreya Ghoshal feels that the excitement came from featuring alongside Khansaab. “And Sandesh’s music is fantastic. He has always done very good music in all his films. I have worked with him for a long time. To do an album is more of a platform where you can express yourself completely. The album has Chitraji and Sunidhi and all songs are beautiful. The video is also fantastic and a very innovatively thought of concept by Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru.”

Being a diva, adds Shreya “is an added responsibility. I prefer being a just a musician than a diva. A diva is just the effect, as people think this is one term associated with anybody who is popular in the field of the music and is a female singer.”

Smiling, Shreya adds that she nevertheless finds the title Diva quite interesting. “I will have to do quite a lot of things to look like a diva,” she adds.

Probably the prettiest singer in the Bollywood circuit, she sure would have had a lot of filmi offers… “I like the style,” admits Shreya, “But I prefer being a singer.” With films like Guru, Babul and Salam-E-Ishq coming up, Shreya has a lot in store, with her new-found status of Diva in Ustad And the Divas. “I am showcasing various moods in my singing in the forthcoming films and that is what makes the experience all-the-more interesting,” she avers.

This is our third album, and the second to release. It is a great experience working with Khansaab,” says Chitra, “After Piya Basanti, people have actually started addressing me as Piya Basanti. It is a pleasure and honour to work again with Ustad Sultan Khan saab. This is also an opportunity where Sunidhi, Shreya and I got to meet each other and we have come together for the first time in the album. I have sung a Rajasthani folk song and melody with Khan saab in this album,” says Chitra.

Chitra feels that Khan saab is a very nice and jovial person who is very encouraging. “Initially, I was very scared to work with him, but it is a privilege to see him work – he really puts his heart into this music. We did not dub any song together, but he was there for the full recording when I was singing. I am eagerly waiting to hear all the songs of the album. That will make my experience complete.”

The Ustad has the last word. “after Piya Basanti, Ustad And The Divas is a unique album capturing the myriad moods of love. And we would like it to be received in the same manner by the audiences.” Here is looking forward to that!

Why you are waiting for..? Fetch your copy from the music stands now….

WRITTEN BY GOHER IQBAL PUNN (Bollywood Analyst)

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