Classical sarangi artist, singer, and songwriter Nabeel Khan, released his debut song Jaanejaan on Saturday. Written, composed, and sung by the 21-year-old Delhi boy during the lockdown, the song is about separation and heartbreak.
It combines soft rock and the soothing notes of the sarangi by Khan, accompanied by the tabla, electric guitar and drums.
Nabeel Khan became a sarangi sensation at seven under the guidance of his grandfather Padma Bhushan awardee Ustad Sabri Khan and father Ustad Nasir Khan, and continues the legacy of the Moradabad Sainia Gharana Sarangi playing style.
An interview with Nabeel Khan:
When did you work on this song?
The whole thing was quite dicey as all the explaining and improvisation took place over the virtual platforms and each instrumentalist came at his own time, recorded his part and went. It took four-five months from writing the lyrics to final video editing.
Your future plans?
I did one original fusion song using the sarangi and hangdrum along with my Russian friends and the Indian Ragas Band (New York), which will release on November 26 on their YouTube channel. I would love to work with music directors AR Rahman, Amit Trivedi Ji, Salim Suleman, Pritam sir and singers Vishal Mishra, Jubin Nautiyal, Armaan Malik, Mika Singh Ji, Anoop Jalota Ji.
Sarangi or singing? What will you focus more on?
I am gravitating towards singing while playing the sarangi, so I see myself playing the sarangi and also singing.