Singer Devika Chawla brings soulful sounds to her latest single ‘Dil tenu’

Recently, the audience who came to listen to Pakistani singer-songwriter Ali Zafar at the San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts Theatre was pleasantly surprised to find the Indian singer, Devika Chawla, sharing the stage with him.  Their rendition of the English-Urdu/Punjabi track ‘Sajna door’ was received with loud cheers.

The US-based contemporary Indian singer known for her soulful songs including ‘Kehnde ne naina’, ‘Barkhaa bahaar’ and ‘Ek tera pyar’, (with Bohemia) recently released a Punjabi single titled ‘Dil Tenu’. Laced with an overwhelming sadness, the lyrics leave a haunting memory of having loved and lost. “It’s painful when someone you love does not reciprocate your love. I was deeply affected by those who experienced these emotions over the last few years, and as I sat in my home music studio, playing with some notes on the keyboard, the song revealed itself in the form of a dialogue with the one you loved, the one who left you,” says Devika. She got in touch with the Mumbai-based producer, Jayhaan, to take the collaboration forward early this year. 

“Jayhaan has been evolving electronic music by fusing the sounds of Western Jersey Club, bass music, and trap with Indian instruments and melodies.  I sent him the rough concept of ‘Dil tenu’, and he started working on production concepts with diverse beats, sounds, and rough mixes until we honed in on the direction.”

Melodious and mellowed

Think Punjabi music and a robust rhythm comes to mind but Devika’s track stands out with a mellowed tone. “Since the themes of a lot of my music are deep and emotional, they lead me to a mellow presentation and production. The result is a soulful Punjabi style of music.”

Devika has been pursuing Hindustani classical music since the age of seven. After shifting from Delhi to the US for higher studies, she recorded two solo albums bringing together Indian music/melody with contemporary production and sound.

Her main track ‘Kehnde ne naina’ from the first album Teri Deewani, was featured on Sony’s show — a compilation featuring tracks by artistes including Kailash Kher, Rekha Bharadwaj, Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and others.  The second contemporary Sufi album, Saari Raat , released by Saregama Music, was at the top of the non-film music charts in India, and had popular tracks ‘Barkha bahaar” and ‘Kothay uttay. The latter was also licensed to the Barbara Mori-starrer Spanish Beauty theatrically released in India.

“I have also enjoyed experimenting and collaborating with various artists over the past several years. I worked with Punjabi rapper, Bohemia, on many of his top charting hip-hop tracks, I collaborated with US-based producer Holmes Ives on electronic Indian ballads, including ‘Jab se piya’, which was subsequently remixed by Karsh Kale, Midival Punditz and Bombay Dub Orchestra and featured on The Buddha Bar by DJ Ravin.  ’Jab se piya’ was also submitted by Six Degrees Records for Grammy consideration in the Best Global Music Performance category.  Other collaborations include ‘Holle Holle’ and ‘Jaaniya’ with Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash on Sarod; and ‘Chhoti dibbiyaan’ and ‘Ga Sa Re Ga Sa’ with Mike Klooster of Smash Mouth.

Expanded exposure

Devika’s shift to the US may have alienated her from the happenings in the Indian music industry but it also gave her exposure to western artists and sounds. “I listened to contemporary artists and evolved the presentation and production of my music while incorporating elements from my childhood music learning and influences — be it a classical slide, a rapid succession of notes delivered as an alaap or a tarana, or a hint of a raag or folk mode in the melody I create, or some characteristic lyrics used in Hindustani classical music.  I think I was able to carve out a unique space where I fused eastern and western music. I also met many amazing artists and musicians in the US and collaborated with them on my music journey. “