Shibani Kashyap on the difficulties of being a woman music composer It is difficult to call the shots in the world of movies. Singer-composer Shibani Kashyap,too,has learnt to give in to team work,but she leaves a tiny window open through which she can escape into her world,a place where she can indulge in her kind of music. Haunting,melancholic sufi rock, is the way Kashyap describes the music she likes. She was in the city to release her latest album My Free Spirit and perform at a gig at Black Magic in DT Mall with DJ Ramji Gulati. In fact,the song from the album,Bakhuda is already playing on the tube. My album revolves around the theme of Carpe Diem,a Latin phrase which means seize the day, says Kashyap,a free-spirited person who hates being tied down. Im always on the move,me and my guitar. Thus,this was a fitting title for the album, explains the Gibson guitar brand ambassador of India. She wants to infuse life into the dying art of independent music. As artists,we need to take the initiative of reviving independent music and not remain restricted to Bollywood alone, she adds. Kashyap claims that she has undergone a tremendous makeover for her album. A musical makeover,for which I have changed my style and collaborated with various musicians, she says. From jamming on a disco number with Bappi Lahiri,using Arabic influences and Turkish sounds to fusing classic rock and R&B,Kashyap has ensured that the final product remains an eclectic mix. I wanted to taste happiness through the songs,celebrate life and render something upbeat, she says,adding that the album has helped her get out of the confines of television and film music. Being a woman music composer is far from being an easy task,she says. The industry is still driven by traditional ideas of gender,and men still make the rules. The role of a woman here is premeditated and defined. She can only sing,and not compose. Its great that Sneha Khanwalkar has shattered some glass ceilings,but Ive been around for long,and I know how tough it is to make your place, she says. The Great Indian Butterfly,for which Kashyap had composed the music,has finally released. I also have a cameo role in it and in another film called Main Osama," she says. But what keeps her occupied is her music,albums and her band Sojourn. We are into organic live music,something that is unplugged,raw and soulful, she says,as her notes summon her back to work.
