A quintet of musical virtuosos, gathered in a cavernous rehearsal space, with an air of focus and intensity pervading the room. As the jam session drew to a close, the ensemble exchanged knowing glances, a sense of pride and satisfaction emanating from each of them. They knew that they had something special, and they could not wait to share it with us. “We spend some time together. And from somewhere, someone plays a bit of music on the instrument or something, and it strikes a chord in Rajan’s mind which probably reminds him of a certain feeling or an emotion, in this case, what this song is about. That’s what came to him. And he started putting the words to paper and started making the melody. And everyone just kind of joined in, added their layers one on top of the other,” says keyboardist, backing vocalist and music producer, Himonshu Parikh. And so, with, Mujhe Mere Naam Se, alt-rock band, The Yellow Diary makes a much-awaited return. The evocative lyrics and lead vocals of Rajan Batra soar above the intricate melodies crafted by Himonshu on the keyboard, and Stuart D’Cousta’s bass lines add a rich and profound layer of depth to the music. The pulsating rhythms of Sahil Shah’s drums serve to harmoniously bind everything together in a compelling groove.
At the very heart of Mujhe Mere Naam Se lies a profound message of optimism and steadfastness, extolling the virtues of fortitude and resilience when confronted with the obstacles that life presents us. It is a paean to the human psyche, commemorating the potency of will and the indomitable spirit that enables us to navigate our way through even the toughest of circumstances. No less than the best of the cadet – from Marz to Roz Roz, this piece embodies bravery to persevere in the face of adversity.“Life usually is an inspiration behind the music that we write. And then there are so many commonalities, in a way, where there are certain experiences that left us with solemn emotions even though we mirrored them differently in the piece. For this song, we felt this strongly: When somebody tells you that you would not be able to do something as it compels you into believing that you will fail. But you always tell yourself: You know what? I’ll do this, and everyone will watch me do it. I will show it to you. That is the emotion which we all felt and depicted in this drop,” Rajan tells us.
Animated by Delhi-based visual artist, Hariom Verma, the music video’s interplay of colours, shapes, and movement capture the essence of the song. The underlying spirit of perseverance and hope is imbued in the visuals. “When we explained to him the emotion that we were dealing with or what we were wanting to write and what we were trying to explain, he came up with certain concepts and this was one of those. And I remember we had a long discussion with him. We are lucky to have been able to work with people who have such a wise understanding of the emotions that we write about. I think that helped us in putting perspective on what we try to create,” Rajan says.
Streaming on all platforms.
Produced by Sony Music.
E-mail: chokita@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @PaulChokita