Launched this month, Meesha Shafi’s newest track, Hot Mango Chutney Sauce, is each bit a scorching ditty with a killer music video in addition. However don’t be fooled, as all the time, with Shafi’s music – it has a powerful message woven into its enjoyable and really danceable, electro pop tune.
Produced by Abdullah Siddiqui, a younger digital music producer in Lahore, the track has already created fairly a stir simply days after its launch.
In an unique with Shafi, I communicate with singer concerning the essence and which means behind her present single, the present sounds being developed in native music and extra.
Meesha Shafi made a comeback on the Pakistani music platform, Coke Studio, in 2020, after ten years. … [+]
SR: Meesha, your work has all the time carried very highly effective, important messages. What was the inspiration behind Sizzling Mango Chutney Sauce?
MS: I do consider artwork and the artist’s position in society have all the time been linked to the politics of their surroundings. Whether or not that surroundings is inside and results in introspective work or exterior, wherein case, socio-political commentary has all the time been extensively seen in artwork via the ages.
For Sizzling Mango Chutney Sauce, I needed to create a juicy, vibrant and celebratory depiction of South Asian tradition and the way it may be embraced in a modern-day context. For this, now we have to deliver up the colonial hangover in addition to the patriarchy and its affect on the brown lady’s expertise of life. How our identification is sized up based mostly on materials clout and additional, how the marginalized, are made to paint inside the strains set by society and should not overstep within the course of of getting enjoyable.
My intention was to create an audio/visible texture that lets [South Asians] world wide deliver our personal cultural identification into the popular culture highlight. An try at reinterpreting and even reclaiming how fabulous and wealthy our heritage is and the way it matches into a up to date dialog.
In my expertise, citing critical conversations like this in a dry method tires everybody. I intentionally determined to package deal this dialog within the hyperpop style sonically and make it actually shiny and irresistible visually in order that the viewers could possibly be tricked into having some meals for thought. In any case, they get entertained. On the most, they begin studying between the strains. I’m joyful to say it’s been a really profitable experiment.
SR: That is the second time that you have collaborated with Abdullah Siddiqui. What was it like working with him?
MS: Abdullah is the one music producer who has the ability to supply such unapologetic hyper pop/EDM in Pakistan for the time being. Aside from that, the truth that he has a depth of endeavor on the subject of gender and identification politics was an actual bonus. Plus, humor was very important to the language of this observe, so arranging it with its comedian beat in tact was essential.
What I like probably the most about collaborating with Abdullah is that his vary of sonic landscapes is huge and allows him to be simply as genre-bending as I would like. He’s forward of his time and the area which he calls dwelling.
SR: What’s your tackle the present music scene? There’s a number of new expertise, do you suppose – being a veteran singer/musician your self – a brand new sound is being created in music on dwelling turf?
MS: 100% sure. There’s a surge of music being produced in Pakistan. The sharp rise in indie artists self-publishing is creating an authenticity and freedom to Pakistani music which is a break from the same old gentle pop/rock that we had been caught in for some time.
A nonetheless from Meesha Shafi’s music video, Sizzling Mango Chutney Sauce.
SR: What are you at present engaged on? Is there one other single or challenge within the pipeline?
MS: Sure. There’s loads. I did a number of songwriting throughout the lockdown. The world coming to a halt was good for my creativity. There are a number of initiatives and singles I’m very excited to share over the approaching months.
Meesha Shafi in a nonetheless from her newest track, Sizzling Mango Chutney Sauce
SR: How has your personal music modified and remodeled over time? What do you’re feeling you are being extra drawn in the direction of?
MS: I’ve actually taken my time to discover and play with many alternative sounds, genres and lyrical themes. That’s how I needed it to be. And due to that palette being so colourful, for the time being I’m pursuing two polar reverse instructions creatively. One being very loud, political and unapologetic i.e., Sizzling Mango Chutney Sauce, and the opposite, deeply non secular, very light, emotionally weak and oftentimes lovely however unhappy, like Mein for example. I plan on pursuing each. Life wouldn’t be full with out each night time and day.