Born out of the womb of ancient culture of India, Hindustani music or Sastriya Sangeet is one of the classical musical genres of India. Undoubtedly, the origins lie majorly in the ancient texts like Natya Shastra Sama Veda and Rig Veda. You might have seen the culturally woven people getting lost in the pleasure of raag, taal and swara of Sastriya Sangeet and its time knowing what lies in the origins of its pleasure.

Hindustani music is the classical music of the northern part of India. Before 12th century, Carnatic music and Hindustani music didn’t conjecture any demarcation. But after the invasions from foreign rulers, the Mughals, the influence of Persian music was seen in the music of the northern part. This influence bifurcated the routes of Carnatic and Hindustani music. Notable composer of Hindustani music of ancient India is the highly admired and hugely applauded Tansen. Tansen was highly respected for his dhrupad and raga compositions as well as for his vocal performances.

Another result of invasive influence was the further cleavage of Hindustani music into Dhrupad, Khyal, Tarana, Tappa, Thumri and Ghazal. Dhrupad is attributed as the original form which is sung is brajbhasha and carries the thematic relevance of spirituality and devotion. Khyal originated with the amalgamation of Sufi music and has an emblazoned diction. Tarana is basically Farsi poetry, Tappa developed out of the inspiration from Punjab, Thumri is regional to Uttar Pradesh and Ghazal is the Urdu language poetry.
The musical instruments are employed according to the sub-genre. Veena, sitar, tabla and sarod are few of the instruments that are widely used. Although this form of classical music is a result of the foreign influences but it carries the essence of the historical account of India. As it turns out, some changes and alterations aren’t painful until we keep in remembrance the origins as well.

Here are few Hindustani music videos you might give your ears a treat with.

Rabindra Sangeet, most commonly known as Tagore Songs, as the name suggests, are the songs penned by the Nobel laureate, Rabindranath Tagore. With a collection of more than 2000 songs, Tagore maintained his position in society as not only just a writer but also a lyricist. His depth of writing, with intense themes, has rendered everyone in deep awe. Apart from the mesmerising flow of the lyrics, the music of his songs was heavily influenced by classical Indian, Folk music, as well as international music. The perfect balance between the poetry and musicality in Rabindra Sangeet renders all other music dull in its presence. Tagore has immortalised himself with his passionate art. Here are some equally heart-touching dance covers on Rabindra Sangeet, reminding everyone of the liveliness and vigour of the Indian culture and dances. 

Monomor Meghero Sangi – Bidipta Sharma

Bidipta Sharma performs a soulful dance on the song, ‘Monomor Meghero Sangi,’ and exudes perfection and grace in every step of hers. She adds her own hypnotising trance to the song, which is already so absorbing and enthralling. Adorned in a blue saree, with pleasant expressions, the dance cover successfully delivers a splendid performance, wanting for more. Rabindra Sangeet is surely empty without its dancers. 

Jagorane Jay Bibhabori – Sharmistha 

Another magnificent Rabindra Nritya performance is of Sharmistha’s. The dance performance is brimmed with elegance and sharp steps, which play the rhythm to each and every beat of the song, Jagorane Jay Bibhabori. Sharmistha justifies the performance with her beautiful red outfit, which makes the entire performance even more resplendent. The ending of the dance cover will definitely be everyone’s favourite part, since the ending dance steps, along with her expressions, add one final beautiful dance movement, which complements the lyrics of the song and its profound music.

Bhalobeshe Shokhi Nibhrite – Payel

Payel and Dwaipayan perform a very beautiful and composed dance cover on the song, Bhalobeshe Shokhi Nibhrite. The duo, with each elegant and poised dance step, elevate the charm of the song. What’s more striking about this performance is that the dance duo also highlights the culture and traditions of India. The wedding ceremony, the surrounding architect, the attires, all encompasses the unique sculpture of the country. 

Bhenge More Ghorer – Nritya Chandraja

Namrat Chakraborty and Chandraja Guha come together to give an energetic, resplendent and vigorous dance cover. Choreographed by Chandraja, the dance cover exudes the dance skills of Chandraja. Matching to the rhythms of the songs, the dancers do not miss enjoying every moment of this performance. Accompanied by the perfect expressions, Namrat and Chandraja remind us of the wholesomeness of a dance cover. Moreover, with the sync and coordination that two are in, the dance becomes even more distinguished, and effortless. 

Semi-classical music originated in South Asia. This genre of music was derived from Hindustani music and folk music and is often combined with filmi music. It can be best understood as a type of music which intermediates between classical and popular music. Unlike classical music, which follows a rigid music style, semi-classical music doesn’t necessarily have to follow the raga structure. It can play with the ragas, mix and combine to produce new melodies which might appeal to the masses. Nevertheless, the naturalness of the semi-classical genre becomes very appealing to the ears and the mind. Here are some beautiful semi-classical music performances. 

Jagorane Jay Bibhabori – Debolina Nandy

Debolina Nandy has been on the musical journey since the age of two. She is an exceptionally beautiful vocalist, who brings her own charisma in each and every song cover. This cover of the song, Jagorane Jay Bibhabori, a Rabindra Sangeet, is a prime example of Debolina’s sweet singing. Debolina Nandy, along with her team, presents a poised and elegant musical performance, which brings to the table the very enigmatic essence of semiclassical music. 

Albela Sajan (Classical Bandish) – Pranati Shah

Classical Bandish is set in a specific, melodic composition in Hindustani vocals. It has a fixed raga, and is often accompanied by instruments like the tabla, sarangi, violin or harmonium. Pranati Shah presents a unique and fresh rendition of Albela Sajan in the classical Bandish form. Her strong and sturdy vocals bring exuberant energy to the musical cover and offer an enchanting music cover. It is a treat to listen to Pranati Shah’s vocals, and we’d definitely recommend you to not miss this performance of hers!

Dadra – Piu Mukherjee

Piu Mukherjee presents a semi-musical cover on the Dadra form of music. Dadra is a light classical vocal form in Hindustani classical music. Piu Mukherjee lends her powerful, yet beguiling vocals. Moreover, in the music performance, one can sense how mesmerized and passionate Piu is towards Indian classical music. She’s wholly drowned in the beats, rhythms, and melodies surrounding her. Such a deep, respectful, and immersed music performance is always a delight to witness. 

Maikada (Ghazal) – Madhushree Bhattacharya

Madhushree Bhattacharya brings her melodic vocals in a Ghazal performance. In Ghazal, lyrics are given utmost importance, and Madhushree sings them in a mellifluous way, elevating the intensity of the lyrics and their meanings. She ignites a soothing atmosphere in the arena. Her angelic voice elevates the experience of a ghazal performance. With the company of the harmonium player and the tablas, Madhushree’s vocals become the perfect icing!

Folk songs are as eminent as classical songs when we talk about the culture of a nation. They are what cascade from the heart of a layman, not professionally trained singers. Folk songs form the warm blanket that preserves the regional culture and thus is different and, in opinion, more important than the representative culture of a nation.

The Bhajans, which are devotional songs dedicated to either to a deity or to spirituality, are inherited from the Vedic era. Kirtans have the same themes as Bhajans, but they’re more narrative. The tradition of folk songs is not new but dates back to 1500 BC. Amongst the earliest forms of folk songs are the Pandavanis dating back to the times of Mahabharat. Owing to the vast culture of India, the list of varieties of folk songs is never-ending. Every state preserves its culture. Within a state, every district preserves it and why not say every house has a folk culture too? However, we will try mentioning all the major folk songs.

Borgeets of Assam are a collection of lyrical songs. Moreover, Borgeets also have religious themes and are even a part of monastery rituals. Bihugeet of Assam are the songs presented in the Bihu festival of the state. Lavani is a very popular folk tradition of Maharashtra. Known for its powerful rhythm, Lavani is most often performed to the beats of Dholki. Similarly, Mahiya is the folk tradition of Punjab, Bhavgeet of Karnataka, Kummi Patu from Tamil Nadu and Tamang Selo is that of Nepal. The Bauls of Bengal were the mystic heterogenous sect of singers that influenced many people during the 18th and 19th century.

Like there are regional dialects, similarly, there are regional songs. Just like talking to a person in a regional dialect exhilarates us, similarly, folk songs keep us exhilarated by letting us enjoy our idiosyncrasies despite of the common origin.

Here are some mesmerizing songs that might give you a peek into the diversified culture of India.

If there is one thing that Shefali Das will give you, it’s a sheer story combined with the perfect pitch. It was in 2019, when Shefali put out her first EP, ‘Dear Somebody,’. It consisted of five of her self-written songs, each with a unique story, a unique perception. Yes, she’s both a singer and a songwriter! The musical project of hers received a positive response, and it wasn’t surprising, since Shefali had always put that ‘Shef’s Kiss’ in all her musical endeavours. 

Born and brought up in New Jersey, USA, Shefali was moved by her own desires and passion for music. The least to say, her journey has been enthralling, and quite a chirpy musical one. However, this doesn’t mean she didn’t have her shares of ups and lows. Until 2020, she went by her stage name, Das, under which Shefali also has the song, ‘Tired’ which has crossed 600K streams on Spotify.

Music is personal to her rather than just a commodity for the public. Since her previous profile didn’t resonate with the singer-songwriter on an equal level, she rebranded to a profile more tuned with her. And so emerged a new aura, a new stage name, ‘Shef’s Kiss,’ (there could be no better pun-intended stage name for her!) and we’re quite frankly looking forward to the music that is yet to come in this new refreshing chapter of hers! 

Here’s a deeper dive into Shefali’s approach to music, her lyricism, and a little heart-to-heart on the enigma of art.

Music Is So Much More Than Just Melodies For Shefali Das: Early Life

The beginning of Shefali’s musical journey is unlike others. No, she wasn’t born with the natural inclination towards music, and neither did she take it up on her own. Rather, it was her parents who encouraged her to learn the piano. Just one of many neighbourhood things where the children were supposed to pick one or two creative hobbies and practices. Therefore, by the age of four, Shefali started practising the keys. It wasn’t until that one day at the Church recital, which literally made Shefali the singer she is today.

At the recital, there was a 10-year-old girl who played the piano and sang. The way she was singing, as described by Shefali, “full body facing the audience, broad-chested, feet planted” was something she had never witnessed before. She was dazzled by it. Shefali’s dad straightaway asked the piano teacher to give her daughter vocal lessons, but the daughter wasn’t quite looking forward to it. One thing that Shefali had great difficulty with in her childhood was interacting with people she didn’t know. She wanted to stay hidden from other people’s eyes. Owing to this, her parents tried to get her into several creative and sporty pursuits, and music happened to be one of them. 

The Beginning!

Despite being against vocal lessons, Shefali had to ultimately give in to it, and what came out of it was definitely worth it. There’s something so beautiful in the way Shefali describes the first moments of her very first singing performance. Recollecting those emotions, she said, “I pushed back my shoulders, I took in more breath, I kind of physically took up more space, and then the way that sound reverberated in my chest, the way that it felt in my hips, in my lips, for the first time I felt that it was okay to take up space. It felt good, it felt kind of different. And to this day, the best thing about it is the way that it feels. It taught me that I was allowed to take up space, I was allowed to be heard, in fact maybe, if I was crazy enough to think that maybe people wanted to hear me too,” and thus began Shefali’s new journey.

The school orchestra band provided her with a sense of community and creativity, where she found a sense of comfort and space. Moreover, her dad always had songs blasted on the speakers, which kept her surrounded with disco-pop, classic rock, Motown, and her favorite, Bruce Springsteen. Thus, when asked what fosters her zeal towards music, she simply answered that growing up, there has always been in her the intrinsic desire to be surrounded by creation, to be surrounded by music. She never has and had to question it.

Currently, the singer-songwriter is pursuing her Ph.D. from Yale. It’s a dual programme in Sociology and African-American studies. She also remarked that a lot of new music is in the making which should be out soon!

Music, Social Media And The Transition: The Stepping Stones To Shef’s Kiss Music

As a singer-songwriter, Shefali consumes a lot of media: movies, books, songs, etc. She is not only inspired by musicians like Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Dua Lipa, or the 70s-80s disco pop, which happens to be her favourite genre, but also finds inspiration in architect designers and interior designers. All forms of creativity and art are a source for her to embrace, learn, and grow through it. 

While promoting her first EP, ‘Dear Somebody,’ Shefali turned to social media. Even though she found a community of amazing artists, a great audience and a phenomenal response to her music, the bad side of it overpowered her. She posted song covers consistently to stay in trend, or trying to fit in to the idea of what the people wanted, or the imposter syndrome, all of it took a toll on her. The claws of the internet tainted the relationship she had with music. The social media bug fractured the connection she valued the most. So, she ultimately took a break from music all together. It was also the time of the pandemic. She then concentrated on other creative endeavours like baking, movies and reading books. 

After the break, Shefali knew she had to rebrand herself, and this is when she changed her stage name from Das to Shef’s Kiss. She created a new Spotify profile, and decided to create music for herself, and express her true form, like she had always wanted. It was a turn to a more sustainable way of moving forward. 

Tapping The Lyricism: Shef’s Kiss As A Songwriter

When it comes to lyricism, Shefali recalls her childhood days when she had spent a lot of time in her own head. She’d dump all her feelings and thoughts on a sheet of paper, and then, through this, it became a therapeutic outlet for her. Her lyrics bear a lot of weight, symbolisms, and metaphors. As a songwriter, her lyrics stem not only from personal experiences but also from her surroundings, other people’s stories, the social and political as well.

For instance, her song, ‘Tired,’ narrates a story of a suffocating relationship, one in which someone is not able to live with and without the same person. The song also reverberates the feelings of frustration, isolation, and mental exhaustion of the pandemic. Meanwhile, her song, ‘Forty-five Pt. II’, is a very political song. It’s on American politics and Trump. There are implicit metaphors and powerful feelings of anger, action, and questioning. Lyrics play a crucial part in the essence of the songs and its purpose, and apparently, this songwriter’s pen brings out her personal expressions very smoothly in words. 

Message For The Aspiring Artists

Shefali Das believes that talent is acquired rather than being inherent, however, exceptions are always there. She herself is the living proof of it, having acquired her vocal talents and songwriting. She also adds that creative spirit and desire are innate, but the talent isn’t. A person must have the willingness to create. She also says that we must always interrogate ourselves and question why we’re doing it. Currently, with the 70s-80s vibe back in the mainstream industry, she almost feels vindicated to follow it. But in times like these, she always interrogates why she’s in music in the first place. One must find the balance amid desires and trends, and should always do what makes one feel fulfilled. 

One of the life lessons she has learned, which she has also applied to her music, is when she dropped the idea of pursuing med. Her pre-med high-school days were just her chasing a kind of stability, a common immigrant drive. She was chasing someone else’s expectations. When she came to college, she realised that pursuing medicine really wasn’t sustainable for her. She confessed to her parents about the decisions to switch her major, and it felt like a dam broke. Parents are oftentimes skeptical of unconventional career paths, mainly because of their concerns more than anything. But the best way is to have a clear conversation with them and give them time to understand. 

Expectations!

Shefali Das wants her mind, body, and soul to be involved a hundred percent in whatever she does. When she gave up her previous profile, ‘Das’, which still has 15K monthly listeners, it was like the plane was finally taking off. But Shefali decided to jump off right at that moment, because that direction wasn’t for her. With her identity as Shef’s Kiss now, she has released the song ‘Expectations’, produced by ShiShi. The song echoes the mixed feelings of anger and desperation after a breakup. 

Therefore, for the aspiring artists, the songwriter has one thing to say: just go for it! If it means something to you, then that’s the end of all. Even though money is a big factor, especially in this capitalist world, your own creation and art is what keeps you going.