MUMBAI:  Purva Mantri also known as the Indian Shakira is a versatile vocalist and a multifaceted performer. She came into the limelight after having crooned the opening sequences of popular TV shows Balika Vadhu and Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai.  She has also shared the stage with Bollywood musicians like Shaan, Vishal-Shekhar, Sonu Nigam, Rahul Vaidya, Kunal Ganjawaala, Abhijeet Sawant, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Bappi Lahari and many more.

The singer recently released her debut single Uljhi under Zee Music Company. The song features her mother Nishi Mantri who is a trained Hindustani Classical singer. 

In an interview with Radioandmusic the singer talks about her debut single that has already crossed one million views, her mother and more. Excerpts.

What is the song Uljhi all about?       

Uljhi is basically a very old beautiful Rajasthani folk song which I used to sing in my shows. One day I thought of working on this song as I really love it. So, I shared the idea of creating this song with a pinch of western music with a friend.  With a week he came up with a new hip-hop mix version of it. It was incredible.

The song features my mother Nishi Mantri who is performing a Hindustani classical for 30 minutes. It is an unpredictable song as it gives no sign of mother performing in it.  You can also see the fusion of Rajasthani classical music and hip-hop.

You said that the song is close to your heart. What makes the song so special?

I find this song special because it is a mother and daughter song. It features my mother who is a trained Hindustani classical singer who has been my guru too. I always wanted to do something for her once I reach the platform. We have performed together earlier for Sanskar Channel as she is more into Bhajans and classical music. Luckily I got this song where I could finally see my dreams come alive. I could beautifully portray my mother in this video. This was not an intentional shoot; everything happened in a flow. It was a mother and daughter rendition. 

How relevant is the song at present?

When we see the present trend of music it is inclined toward Punjabi and Hindi. The later has always been there while Punjabi is germinating. For us to create something new was a real challenge. It was difficult as we wanted to make a Rajasthani folk song youth-centric.  We added the western touch to it which is already inspiring many people.  We dared to create the music in large scale with hopes of it matching the present music trend. We have been successful to an extent as the response is remarkable. I am glad people liked it.

How was your first single experience?

It was really nice although it took a lot of time. We started off making music last year in September. Veer and Dhawal worked on the old Rajasthani folk song and made it lavish by infusing Western touch. The entire music was recorded by December end. Around January-February we started working on the video.  First, we were perplexed about shooting in Rajasthan or indoor. Later we gave it an illuminate feel. The reason why we didn’t go with the location shoot was that we didn’t want to give it a common approach. It was a studio shoot and the designer and direction team took many references to project it internationally. The creativity of the video was well maintained by my friend Ashish Naidu who designed our Indo-western costumes.

Who choreographed the video?

Leading dancer Suresh Mukund of Kings United India is my dear friend. They are the ones who got into hip-hop challenge and the movie ABCD was made.  I was on and off caught up with some other work commitments but he choreographed in 4-5 days.

How did you come up with the idea of a fusion of costume?

 I am very fond of trying new stuff and I informed Ashish. I counted on him and told him he can do whatever he wants to. He came up with fusion style. The western- classic fusion made the video exceptional. I feel it is required to maintain the upmarket. We didn’t experiment with my mother’s costume. She just wore a simple white silk saree. 

How did the deal with Zee Music happen?

When we approached Zee Music Company they were kicked by the music. They went out of the way to help me as they were happy to hear the genre. It was an out of urban zone kind of a song. They promoted my song on their channel. This was a big thing for me doing my first single under a big label.

Tell us something about the song Char Bangdi Vadi Gadi?

The original song was done by a folk singer. I just reloaded the song as a Gujju Anthem. I have made the song in my style by putting rap in it. The rap has been done by Veer who gave it an urban touch. The audio came up in July while we released the video in August.

Are you looking forward to doing music for Bollywood movies? 

Yes. I am expecting my two Bollywood songs this Diwali season.

How does it feel to be called the Indian Shakira?            

Well, it started with my journey as a vocalist, sharing the stage with many Bollywood singers and then as a solo artist. I got to learn during the span of time. Somehow the anchors of the show used to introduce me as Indian Shakira. It first started from Gujarat because of my fans there. Also, I am a huge fan of Shakira.

Click the link to listen to Uljhi:

Click here to listen Char Bangdi Vadi Gadi: