Khushbu Kirti converses with singers, Jubin Nautiyal and Hanita Bhambri, about their recreated version, Raataan Chill Mix, which released on Spotify
While listeners were yet to get over the Shershaah playlist, the music of which touched our souls, Spotify released yet another version of one of the absolute favourites from the album — Raatan Lambiyan. The lo-fi version of the song named as Raataan Chill Mix is Spotify’s second single from India, and features Jubin Nautiyal and Hanita Bhambri. It is written and produced by Tanishk Bagchi.
The music album of Shershaah has been roaring on the charts of Spotify for months now, with the OST being streamed more than 100 million times. While Raatan Lambiyan has been hailing on the top spot on Spotify’s India Top 200 charts for about four weeks now, garnering over 43 million streaks, Ranjha is not much behind with more than 38 million streaks. The film’s yet another famous hit, Mann Bharryaa 2.0, hfas collected some 19 million streaks, too.
The newly launched Raatan Chill Mix, a fresh recreation of the song, has been winning hearts, as expected. The music renders a highly relaxing vibe, and soothes the softest spots. The words, of course, hit the right strings of the heart, while it keeps longing for more when the song ends.
Read on for certain excerpts from the interview with singers Jubin and Hanita:
Raatan Lambiyan is highly adored by listeners. It was the second Indian song, ever, to hit the Spotify Global 100 list. Tell us a little bit about the experience of recreating such a popular song.
Jubin: Raatan Lambiyan got its success in many ways. It was a song we made in 2018 and had not expected the impact to be so massive. I guess the timing was right for the song. It has created so many ripples in the music industry. Recreating the song in the lo-fi version is very special because lo-fi, as a genre, is highly appreciated by the millennials and the current generations. I feel like the song has something in it that creates a magical effect. I’m blessed to have connected with such good people, to make something so special.
Hanita: It’s definitely a little nerve-wracking to recreate a song that’s this popular, because there are bound to be comparisons among other things. So, frankly, I had shut all of it out and focussed on performing it the way I connected with the song. Tanishk and Jubin were both extremely encouraging and told me to sing it the way I wanted to, try out whatever variations I desired to, which lifted a lot of pressure off me and I could perform more freely.
Lo-fi music has been recently trending among the modern audiences, perhaps, due to its relaxing beats. What, according to you, is the reason behind this?
Jubin: Lo-fi music has been trending because of, I think, the fast-paced life and running around. It happens to be the peace and calm in this whole situation of panic. Music is supposed to transport you to another world, one of quiet and peace. Lo-fi music, I believe, is reminding people of that. It has a zen mode around it, which makes it rather meditative. My voice has been very beautifully used by the makers. Something that gives peace to you in this fast-paced world is always well recognised and valued.
Hanita: For a lot of millennials and genZ, music is more than just recreation — it’s a way we seek connection and locate our place in the world. A lot of my friends listen to lo-fi music because it helps them fall asleep, as it’s so calming and vibe-y.
What is the future of this typical genre? Will it thrive?
Jubin: All genres of music have a place to thrive when you live in a country of 1.3 billion people. I feel, for every genre — for any piece of art, for that matter — there is an audience today. We need to understand the audience and their taste and when the audience receives something that touches them, that sound becomes a sensation. Lo-fi will be that sensation pretty soon.
Hanita: I think it has definitely found its audience and there are a huge number of takers for it. It’s not seeped as deeply into the pop music space yet so I feel it’s only going to grow from here.
Anybody who has watched Shershaah has a different kind of attachment to the song, due to its emotional significance.
Jubin, you lived the experience of creating the original version. How was it? Did you feel the attachment and the resultant catharsis?
The experience was amazing. See, I have sung the original version, and now everytime I sing the song, it will just be a different version of the same song and that’s what helps me make it reach a wider audience. I know we have made a great song, I know the song has penetrated hearts. It is being loved by the nation, why not make it bigger, why not make it touch more lives, why not connect it with more people? And that’s why we’ve come up with a lo-fi version. It will just help our song reach out more. Whenever an artist builds something and expresses something, it is our responsibility to give it the widest market and once the creation is done, what really matters is how it is being perceived. A greatly perceived song, I think, is a very user- friendly song.
Hanita, you've performed with Zaeden before but this is the first time you're collaborating with a commercial artist under Spotify Singles. How is this different?
I just genuinely feel so honoured to have been chosen for the second Spotify singles and for a song as massive as Raataan Lambiyan. It was definitely an amazing experience. Things move a lot faster in the commercial space than the Indie space, for sure. Like, my flight was finalised literally a few hours before the shoot and all of it went by in a blur. I think we had the master in the next 24 hours. That’s crazy for me. And collaborating with Tanishk and Jubin was great. Tanishk, especially, was extremely friendly, kind and encouraging. I felt okay, maybe I’d been selling myself short and I could nail the Punjabi lyrics and sing in a way that’s authentic to me.
How is Spotify supporting Indie artists through their Radar project?
Hanita: Spotify has actually built a Radar family of indie artists. It extends beyond just that one month of being on a playlist cover. We have an active WhatsApp group, where everyone shares their new releases, and we support each other. And there are multiple opportunities where Radar artists are contacted first. It’s amazing to see the dedication with which Spotify supports and invests in indie artists.
What is the significance of the song to you, specifically?
Jubin: For me, this song signifies a period where the lockdown is over and the film music is on, this song is the first massive hit from the Bollywood segment. This song signifies the beginning of a new age and time after pandemic where we are going to make great films, great music and for the longest time, I’ve been doing independent music but, at heart, I am still a playback singer and I love both sides of it. I enjoy both sides of it so, now, I think it’s time for me to enjoy the playback side of my voice, with different flavours and colours.
Hanita: The song reminds of a young innocent love, the kind we all want to experience in a world where meet-cutes don’t even happen anymore because it’s all just about swiping right. The song captures that old-school romance.
What is your favorite part about this line of work (being in the music industry)? Your least favorite? Why?
Jubin: The one thing that I hate about this line of work is absolutely nothing, I love everything about it. It is beautiful and it makes me who I am. I work very hard to be where I am, I am always working towards making myself a better human being, a better person, it helps me just be myself and that is the reason why I am doing music. That’s the reason why I am so deeply involved in this line of work. I started doing music when I was very little and more than anything else, music has become like a way of life for me more than a profession. I’m a very a non-expressive person in my personal life and music helps me express. I think expressing feelings is very important and music has become the only medium through which I am able to do that.
Hanita: My favourite part of it is meeting and connecting with so many people. I’ve grown up super shy and now I’m connected to this whole community (I call them hanibees), who are celebrating my success like their own, checking up on me when I’m down and rooting for me endlessly through it all. My least favourite part of it is how despite it all, it’s still very financially unstable. Especially after Covid, there were very few sources of income that artists could depend on. And in the long term, it’s really important to think how we could make this a career more financially fulfilling, too.