Apple Laptop - a duet with Shankar Mahadevan. I think this is the first duet with Shankar ji that has released though I remember recording several others.
Rafee sir is the voice of Signore Signore (Kannathil Muthamittaal) and several other songs for Rahman sir. But I remember him best for Signore. Signore is one of my favorites and maybe it is not common knowledge that Sri Abdul Hameed penned the lyrics for this baila.
Fast forward several years and I landed up at Rafee sir's office/residence here in Chennai to record. It was a beautiful session. I got to know Mrs Rani Rafee, a wonderful human being and even after the session there were a lot of things we spoke about. On the Sufi mystics, philosophy and the divinity that we see all around us sometimes but fail to realize. We also realized we read similar literature.
A lot of times a recording session becomes special for reasons in addition to the composition that I am singing - the experience and the chance to be behind the mic one more time is something I crave for all the time. Its the only thing that drives me and my true calling. (The things that I do otherwise are gifts that have bestowed on me and I am usually not the one to let an opportunity pass by unless of course something about it was not the right for me to do at that point in time).
And I have noticed that a certain divinity in the composer makes a recording great. Someone told me the other day, that you will find a glow in the face of someone who makes it a point to pray regularly. Those who choose the communion with the higher self, the truth, the creator have a certain aura about them which makes interactions with them wonderful. The recording session with Rafi ji was one such. And he happened to tell me today that I have worked hard on this one and asked me to keep it up. Felt good to hear that from the composer I have worked with.
They screened Apple Laptop and Sunita Sarathy's song at the audio release today and Shriya has completely showcased her dancing skills in both song. The Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamilnadu Kalaignar Karunanidhi released the audio CD and Rahman sir received it.
This was also one of those rare audio release functions where the singers were invited. K S Ravikumar sir said he has always invited the singers when I kinda lamented that no one bothers about the singers at audio release functions while I met him during the briefing sessions for hosting the Aadhavan audio release.
Looking forward to buying the CD once it arrives at the stores.
Rafee sir is the voice of Signore Signore (Kannathil Muthamittaal) and several other songs for Rahman sir. But I remember him best for Signore. Signore is one of my favorites and maybe it is not common knowledge that Sri Abdul Hameed penned the lyrics for this baila.
Fast forward several years and I landed up at Rafee sir's office/residence here in Chennai to record. It was a beautiful session. I got to know Mrs Rani Rafee, a wonderful human being and even after the session there were a lot of things we spoke about. On the Sufi mystics, philosophy and the divinity that we see all around us sometimes but fail to realize. We also realized we read similar literature.
A lot of times a recording session becomes special for reasons in addition to the composition that I am singing - the experience and the chance to be behind the mic one more time is something I crave for all the time. Its the only thing that drives me and my true calling. (The things that I do otherwise are gifts that have bestowed on me and I am usually not the one to let an opportunity pass by unless of course something about it was not the right for me to do at that point in time).
And I have noticed that a certain divinity in the composer makes a recording great. Someone told me the other day, that you will find a glow in the face of someone who makes it a point to pray regularly. Those who choose the communion with the higher self, the truth, the creator have a certain aura about them which makes interactions with them wonderful. The recording session with Rafi ji was one such. And he happened to tell me today that I have worked hard on this one and asked me to keep it up. Felt good to hear that from the composer I have worked with.
They screened Apple Laptop and Sunita Sarathy's song at the audio release today and Shriya has completely showcased her dancing skills in both song. The Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamilnadu Kalaignar Karunanidhi released the audio CD and Rahman sir received it.
This was also one of those rare audio release functions where the singers were invited. K S Ravikumar sir said he has always invited the singers when I kinda lamented that no one bothers about the singers at audio release functions while I met him during the briefing sessions for hosting the Aadhavan audio release.
Looking forward to buying the CD once it arrives at the stores.
11 comments:
Hi Chin
its really nice to hear that your wish of inviting the singers to auidio release has occured.
a similar incident is like grahaprevesam without maestris !! :D Sounds absurd??
I really don't know what to say to the parallel of maestris and singers. I have known of maestris who have fleeced the owners left right and center just like the land brokers do these days from both parties. And now land brokers have a "nala sangam". I wonder what kind of preservation of rights they need when the losers are the owners and the buyers when they have to go through them in the first place. All of the land owners and buyers should perhaps have a body to preserve their rights first. These land brokers are a huge nexus. If the maestri has been honest and straightforward then there would be no instance of him not being invited, unless of course, giving the benefit of doubt, if the ones who built the house are extremely peevish or just don't have the culture to acknowledge someone for their hard work.
hahaha..really i dont mean it that way..but a simimlar incident i said.
summa va sonnanga? "veetai katti paaru..."
any way.it happens. :P
Hi,
I’ll always visit your blog whenever I connect my WI-FI and was looking forward for a new post from you for the past 5 days and its 7th time this day. Being helpless I started reading your posts in yr 2005,06,07 and all, they really full of life, colorful, somewhere poetic and full of josh for sure. To mention, your post on ‘school days’ was to the core that any student can relate themselves with, I discovered (though old) a new chinmayi there (fun filled and fun loving).
Here I wish and pray that the spirit and joy in you should be multiplied.
Sheer negligence shown for inviting the singers for audio launch can happen only in Kollywood –just commercial lovers.
Wish to hear that song soon….
The comparison is very funny!!! lol........
hearty ongratulation
The very saintly and Noble souls display that "Aura" or what we call "Tejas" on their face. You should have seen the Paramacharya Sri Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Periavar's face. We could not look continuously at his face for more than 5 seconds because his eyes were so mesmeric and his face glowing like a Sun.
Chin,
Nice to knw abt Rafi sir thru ur post..Seems like he's got some similar characteristics of Rahmanji. Hope the audio release went on well...Wishing u n ur sng in the movie all success..
Hi Chinmayee,
Being a very esteemed person that you are, I wish to know if you or for that matter,any of t he singers cringe when mouthing lewd lyrics in their songs?
or Do you try to avoid such songs?
Regards,
Venkat
Hi, I was just listening to Jaggubhai songs and came through your blog co-incidentally while listening. I am basically from Andhra but lisetens to all music. And I like "Apple laptop", "Thuru" and "Yezhu Vannathil" songs a lot. Anyway I welcome you to my blog too.
Hi Chinmayi,
The "Apple Laptop" is quite catchy. Two comments.
1. Your voice sounds different ( thinner I should say ), in the sense that it sounds good. Who decides the voice modulation ? You or the composer ?. I would have never guessed that it was your voice. Quite a peppy number I should say.
2. The song sounded good for the most part except for that cacophony towards the end. I did not quite like it. Seemed like it was used as a filler, seemed to jarr an othervise foot-tapping number. Hopefully the choreography is equally good.
Mahesh
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