When Asees Kaur walked into the studio to record a song for Tanishk Bagchi, she was humming Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s Tere Bin Nahi Lagda, as that had been playing on her car’s stereo system en route. As soon as the composer heard it, he asked her if she knew they were dubbing a version for Rohit Shetty’s upcoming flick, Simmba. Asees beams, “It was such a coincidence!” She was also unaware that it was a duet with Ustad Nusrat’s nephew and heir of the late Sufi singer’s legacy, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. “I was so chilled out while singing it,” she chuckles, “Had I known he was singing it, too, there would have been pressure on me to perform at par with him.”
Though, she adds that she’d have been just as calm, had she known that the Jag Ghoomeya (Sultan, 2016) hitmaker would be sharing the vocal duties with her. “I’m happiest in front of a mic. For me, those are the most peaceful moments in the entire day. I don’t feel nervous no matter what,” she explains.
A GOOD YEAR
This year has been big for the Indian Idol season 6 contestant, who debuted in Bollywood with Dildara Reprise in Tamanchey (2014). Other than Tere Bin in the Ranveer Singh and Sara Ali Khan-starrer, she’s also had Jaan Nisaar (Kedarnath), Chogada and Ankh Lad Jaave (LoveYatri), etc this year. “This has been the best year of my life. After the romantic number Bolna (Kapoor & Sons, 2016), Ankh was the turning point in my career as it’s a party anthem and now, composers are experimenting with my voice,” she enthuses.
ATTACHED TO HER SONGS
Before Bolna, Asees sang a version of Ikk Kudi in Udta Punjab (2016) and later, Baarish (Half Girlfriend) and Beat It Bijuriya (Munna Michael) among many others in 2017. Not all of these have been as successful as her releases this year. “Every song I sing becomes a part of me. So, it affects me when one doesn’t do too well. There are tracks from low-budget projects that won’t do as well those in big banner films. There’s not much you can do about it. Every song has its destiny,” she reasons. “But, when something becomes popular, listeners search for your other works on the internet and those get noticed, too,” she adds. Asees quotes Kaari Kaari (Dobara: See Your Evil) and Tu Banja Gali Banaras Ki (Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana) as her most underrated pieces so far.
COMING UP...
Much like this year, Asees says that she has much to look forward to in 2019, too. “I’m recording for something or the other almost every day. Right now, I’m working on a single that may release in February. There are many Bollywood projects but I cannot talk about them. I will also do more non-film music so that people can see the different genres I can pull off,” the vocalist says.
