Hindustani classical vocalist Maahi Zaveri is taking her first steps into songwriting with Piya Bina — her debut single rooted in Raag Madhuvanti and Raag Miyan Malhar. Written, composed and sung by Maahi, the song explores viraha or the ache of longing and separation, through the perspective of a young musician drawing from more than a decade of classical training. We get chatty with Maahi to discover everything about her debut single.
After more than a decade of training in hindustani classical music, what made you want to step into songwriting and composing your own music?
Songwriting and composing happened very naturally for me. After training in hindustani classical music for so many years, I reached a point where I wanted to express some of the emotions I was experiencing in a language that felt completely my own. Classical music gave me the vocabulary, but songwriting gave me the freedom to tell my own stories. I’ve always loved the depth of hindustani music, but I also wanted to explore how that could exist within a younger, more contemporary sound. Piya Bina is my first step into that space.
What was the starting point for Piya Bina?
The emotion came first. I wanted to make a song about viraha, that specific feeling of longing for someone who isn’t there. I experienced that emotion during my first breakup and wanted to translate it into music. From there, the melody and lyrics developed together. I wanted the song to feel classical at its core, but still sound like something a young person today could connect with.
How did raag madhuvanti and raag miyan malhar shape the song?
Both raags have such distinct emotional worlds. Madhuvanti has this beautiful quality of tenderness and yearning, while miyan malhar carries the atmosphere of the monsoon and a certain intensity. Since Piya Bina explores yearning and separation, the monsoon became an important metaphor for longing. I used the character of these raags to create that emotional landscape rather than treating them simply as musical references.
You’ve also trained in tabla and bharatanatiyam. How have these forms influenced your music?
They’ve all shaped me in different ways. Tabla has given me a strong sense of rhythm and layakari, while bharatanatiyam taught me about physicality, expression and storytelling through bhaav. Playback singing and designing music for theatre taught me how to adapt my voice to a particular narrative and musical setting. I think all these experiences have made me approach music more holistically, thinking about rhythm, words, emotion, movement and story.
What’s next for you?
I want to continue releasing original music and build a sound that brings together my classical roots with the music I’m drawn to today. I also want to keep performing, teaching and exploring collaborations across different art forms. I’m excited about seeing where the music takes me.
Piya Bina is streaming on all audio platforms.
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