MUMBAI: Mumbai-based Vasundhara Vee has been among very few jazz/soul vocalists synonymous with revival of RnB, Soul and Jazz into the live circuits and bringing it back to the playlist of today’s youth. In a first-of-its-kind release for the powerhouse vocalist, Run documents Vee’s new journey as a solo artist, marking the beginning of a new artistic phase of her musical journey.  Symbolically, this new song starts with a soul ballad style intro and then pops a massive surprise 30 seconds in. This pop-soul adult contemporary number Run, creates a bridge between what Vee has showcased so far and what her future sound holds in a lush production by Dhruv Ghanekar, (the advertising legend and music composer who also gave us BlueFROG).  

“Run is not an escape song. It’s about the kind of running that has intention, freedom and full power. It’s about claiming our right to be yourself. There’s literally no need to hesitate to claim our birthright to whatever we consider to be our identity. Run is a song about totally accepting and loving yourself. It talks about reconnecting and enjoying every single thing we are,” says Vasundhara Vee.  

The song which was written with actual notes to self is fittingly complemented by a video that explores the “othering of the self” or in more millennial terms, “breaking up with oneself” - through the visible disconnect between Vee and her reflection in the window in the video. The window turns out to be a more appropriate symbol than a mirror. It was meant to symbolise a ‘window to the inner state’ rather than a surface reflection or your self-perception. There were notes to self that couldn’t fit well into the lyric, these were physically brought into the video.

When Vee  is not seen regaling the audiences as a part of the finest Jazz, RnB and Soul outfits in the country – in the capacity of both collaborator and soloist, her passion for music education has found a permanent home in the ‘School of Voice’. Vee’s educational outfit features new techniques that fill many unmentioned or untaught gaps in regular curriculum courses, thus helping singers get a seamless understanding of the voice. As an extension of this endeavour, she has also written a book titled Big Dreams, Bold Choices - Handbook for Emerging Professional Musicians in India, to help young professionals create a durable foundation for their music careers.   

CREDITS:

Lyrics & Vocals - Vasundhara Vee

Composition, Production, Arrangement - Dhruv Ghanekar

Video: Karan Takulia & Jason Vaz

Video Edit - Jishnu Guha