Set to bring forth her two-part album, Shalmali Kholgade on chasing the experience, despite knowing that albums are unlikely to flourish under current circumstances.
Shalmali Kholgade
Collating 12 tracks that she had initially planned to release as one album, Kholgade realised that the pieces, owing to their sonic quality, could seamlessly be segregated into two — now releasing as Side A (on April 22) and Side B, later this year.
“Side A has an easy tempo, and a ballad-like quality associated with it. I have been heavily influenced by artistes like Beyonce and Amy Winehouse. Side B is more rhythmic. While I wouldn’t label its tracks as dance numbers, I would say it is influenced by [Spanish singer] Rosalia, and Dua Lipa,” says the singer-composer, whose debut single from the album, Here is beautiful, featured Sunidhi Chauhan. She promises more collaborative pieces in the second edition.
Far detached from trinkets like viewership numbers and reach, Kholgade says she is celebrating this album for the experiences she could derive while working on it. “Considering the musician that I gauge myself to be, I must write my own music, and release my own work. I am so in love with the music that I created that [it wouldn’t matter] if people trashed the album tomorrow.”
The oldest song is a four-year old piece, one that opened a floodgate of emotions when she revisited it for this album. “I knew I was a different person then. I was influenced by different artistes, and that reflected in the song."
This lockdown has been a blessing, enabling me to achieve things I have always wanted to do. We booked a city studio for three days, not knowing what we were going to do then. That was a fascinating experience, because we would simply select a song, and jam together to see what we could create with it.”
