A new space

The pop crooner who has also composed and sung for films is out with her fourth album,My Free Spirit. And Shibani Kashyap says that its outside her normal zone

The pop crooner who has also composed and sung for films is out with her fourth album,My Free Spirit. And Shibani Kashyap says that its outside her normal zone

Do you have an underlying theme in My Free Spirit?
All my previous albums,Ho Gayee Hai Mohabbat,Naghmagi and Nazakat have been about my expressions of my persona and my journey. Each one has been different from the other. This time I wanted to do something a little outside my space. I also sense a revival coming in independent music,which has been down in the dumps for a long while,and I want to try and be a part of it.

What precisely do you mean when you say outside my space?
I have been associated with tracks like Sajna Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part II and Zinda hoon main Zinda,songs that have a haunting kind of Sufi-Rock feel. I have been loved for such songs but they have become somewhat stereotypical and a bit dark.
I thought that it was high time I tried something new and My Free Spirit is like a complete makeover,a celebration with some dance music. I want to promote it with the right campaigns. Hindi films will always dominate our music scene,but even if Indipop cannot compare with its reach,it should be back in a big way.

Why is your space the dark kind?
Maybe that is because music is my way of brooding on life.

A variety of music directors have worked on the album.You have only composed two songs. Is this part of this strategy?
Yes,its like a collaborative effort. I wanted variety and for that it was also important to get out of my own scene and work with different people. And above all,a legend like Bappida also came in with an incredible disco number aptly titled Disco.

How did the Bappi Lahiri track happen?
We had met casually and he played out something fantastic that I instantly felt was me. So I requested him to be a part of my album.

Justin-Uday have composed four of the eight songs. Why did you want them?
I loved their songs in Hijack and Sikandar,and they were chilled-out people who took out time for each composition. We worked on every song for a week.

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You have composed Alvida,which does have a melancholy edge.
Yes,its my tribute to 26/11 in Mumbai. I have not yet recovered from the memories of that tragedy and it still upsets me. Through my music I want to protest about it and send out the message of unity and peace.

Whats happening on the film front?
I have composed Hindi songs with a World Music flavour in the just-released English film by Sanjay Gupta,The Great Indian Butterfly. The songs are very me. Composing for a brief is always challenging. I am also singing for Gourov Dasgupta,Monty Sharma and Sagar and have sung a French song that was really a challenge.