Shashaa Tirupati opens up about new single 'Maari', upcoming EP, and ambitions to collaborate with Billie Eilish

National Award-winning singer Shashaa Tirupati, who is known for her popular numbers Vaan Varuvaan, Rasaali, Humma Humma, and Rait Zara Si, to name a few, recently released her new independent single, Maari. The mellifluous number has music by Persian music producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Mesbah Ghamsari, who interestingly has also sung the song along with Shashaa.

“Maari happened when we were thinking about releasing something unconventional. For independent songs, I usually have the freedom to push boundaries and experiment. I thought, why not bring in Mesbah, a Persian artiste whom I wanted to collaborate with?”

Interestingly, this is not the first time the duo has come together. They had already collaborated on songs like Hoon Galat and Khonok Aandam. “We are working on an entire EP and album. This will feature my compositions, Mesbah’s arrangements, and vocals from both of us. The idea is to make it accessible to a wide audience in India, so we plan to have multiple languages featured on the album,” says Shashaa.

It was not long ago that the singer had released her maiden English EP, I’m Sorry, Heart. “My debut EP holds a special place in my heart. The goal was to keep it simple and pure—just vocals and one supporting instrument, the guitar by Keba Jeremiah. I recorded my vocals in Mumbai, and we had it mixed and mastered in the UK. The production was global in a way, since we shot the video in four different cities.”

Since the musician has been dabbling with both playback singing and independent music, we ask Shashaa which one she enjoys more, and pat comes the reply. “I can’t really choose between the two. Playback singing gives you the joy of bringing someone else’s composition to life, learning from it, and expressing it in your own way. In contrast, independent music is an entirely different experience. It's your vision, your lyrics, and your imagination at play. Both have their beauty and satisfaction.”

Shashaa tells us that she feels incredibly blessed to have received a National Award (for Vaan Varuvaan from Kaatru Veliyidai) very early in her career. “And working with someone like AR Rahman, sir, has been a huge part of my journey. His music has transformed me, and I’ve had the privilege to be part of his vision. He’s like a part of my soul, and working with him has changed me in ways I can’t even explain. I can’t be any more grateful.”

Though she is busy churning out independent singles, Shashaa says that the journey is not devoid of challenges. “I feel like the landscape is changing, but one major challenge is still visibility. While Bollywood songs can rack up billions of views, independent songs often get only a few thousand, even when they’re great. Platforms like Kolab Her Music Camp (a joint initiative by the Indian Performing Right Society Ltd. and Sony Music Publishing) are really helping by encouraging music discovery, but there needs to be more visibility and support to help independent artists reach a wider audience.

Talking about her recent experience at one of the Kolab workshops, she says, “Most of the time, I compose, produce, and direct my own songs. I usually handle everything independently, including the video direction. The collaboration typically ends with me bringing in a singer to record their parts. But this project was very different because it involved a lot of hands-on work from multiple people. In this case, I shared the composition with others who added their own touch, whether it was producing a track or bringing in lyricists. There were so many people involved, and it was a unique experience for me, but I learned a lot from it."

The singer informs us that she recently recorded about seven to eight songs in Telugu, which will be released soon. She adds, “We are also excited about the upcoming EP, which will have four or five songs. It’s something we’ve been working hard on, and I’m eager to share it with everyone soon. As for future collaborations, my dream is to work with Billie Eilish. She’s an artiste I’d love to collaborate with, and I would be thrilled to team up with her one day.”

sangeetha.p@newindianexpress.com

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