Shilpa Rao, one of India’s most evocative and soul-stirring voices, has once again woven magic with her latest track, Barbaad, from YRF’s much-anticipated film Saiyaara. Known for her electrifying upbeat hits, Shilpa now turns the page to deliver a hauntingly beautiful ballad that digs deep into the heart, resonating profoundly with listeners who can’t help but feel every note in their bones.
The female rendition of Barbaad—which originally debuted through a male voice — brings an entirely new emotional intensity. With each lyrical phrase, Shilpa effortlessly pulls listeners into the raw and unrelenting ache of heartbreak. Her voice, soft yet piercing, invites you to feel the weight of lost love, whether or not you’ve ever experienced it yourself. It’s this universal yet deeply personal quality that has ignited a flood of messages from fans, many of whom share how the song has left them teary-eyed, reflecting on love and loss in ways they hadn’t imagined before.
“Music, for me, has always been about connecting with people’s emotions,” says Shilpa Rao. “Barbaad is a heartbreak song, and singing the female version allowed me to explore a different emotional perspective. I’ve been receiving so many messages from people saying they’re moved by the song, feeling heartbreak through it — even when they haven’t gone through one themselves. That kind of response means everything. And working on this with YRF and Mohit Suri again — it feels like home. I’ve shared a creative comfort with them from our earlier collaborations, and returning to that space was incredibly fulfilling.”
Shilpa’s musical journey is far from over, with Metro In Dino adding yet another gem to her repertoire. Her recent live performance at the film’s music event left audiences spellbound, reaffirming her position as one of the most emotionally captivating voices in contemporary Indian music.
But with Barbaad, Shilpa doesn't merely sing a heartbreak song — she lives it. She inhabits it. She channels that pain, wrapping it in the purity of her vocals and passing it on to us with a tenderness that feels almost too intimate. As Saiyaara gears up for its release, Barbaad already stands as the heartbreak anthem of the year, a track that will undoubtedly echo through our hearts long after the final note fades.