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Mai Dhai, a voice that carries forward a glorious rustic legacy and whose vocals for Ho Mann Jahaan and Coke Studio brought in new fame to the harsh arid lands of Thar (once famous for singers like Mai Bhagi) and Natasha Baig, whose song ‘Jhoom Le’ became the saving grace for Janaan, are all set to release their song ‘Kesaria’ on the 15th of January.

Living in a nation that enjoys a musical heritage that spans for centuries, rhythm seems innate for those who pursue it. From legends such as Tansen, whose voice could reportedly make it rain with his Raaga Megh Malhar to the likes of the innumerous gharanas of Punjab and Sindh, where the sounds of tabla, rubab, and sitar still echo through the towns and villages, the voices are as unique as the region they belong to. Of course then, how can one not be excited when a collaboration between two such regions and voices is in the offing? That’s right, coming together for the first time ever are the two shining voices of Hunza and Thar, Natasha Baig and Mai Dhai, respectively, for their latest single.

 

whatsapp-image-2017-01-08-at-2-28-55-pmIn a conversation with Something Haute, the singer hailing from Hunza revealed more about her music video, which of course, depicts life in the heart of Thar, Umarkot.

“I met Mai Dhai at the Voice of Women festival and I was producing the whole show so we interacted and had this mother-daughter kind of a bond. She came to our office after that and did a small jam and she made me sing in her language! The experience of singing with her was more than I expected because we loved making music together. We have a huge language barrier between us but that didn’t stop us and we bonded instantly,” Baig said.

The video, where we see Baig fully-clad in traditional Kabelia style clothing famous in Sindh and Rajasthan replete with the traditional bangles, focuses on showing the nation the hidden gems of culture, which often lie in the peripheries. Talking about discovering new places, the singer added,

“The video is shot in Umarkot where Mai Dhai lives. We wanted to show the rich culture of Thar and its beauty! Also, we have shown the biggest temple in the world according to the people in the area, which my team and I were not aware of.”

Shot in an aim of creating music, which of course knows no boundaries, the collaboration will be the latest from the Laal Series, which has already made its name in the market for creating mellifluous symphonies that are unique.

While the song still has a few days to its release, Something Haute brings you exclusive photos and teasers from the upcoming music video!

 

 

 

 

Shahjehan Saleem

The author is Contributing Editor at Something Haute as well as a professor in the Media Sciences department at SZABIST, Karachi. Socio-cultural theories and geography fill up the rest of his time.