Sunidhi Chauhan’s new song ‘Tum Kehte Ho’ is a passionately powerful cry for self-belief

Mumbai: Singer Sunidhi Chauhan’s new song ‘Tum Kehte Ho’, is a very passionate and heartfelt song which is a call for self-belief to people, telling them to be confident in their abilities and not succumb to the pressure of pursuing excellence and perfectionism at the cost of destroying themselves.

A dynamic song, ‘Tum Kehte Ho’ features many elements ranging from operatic symphonic piano, Indian folk laden tunes of a shehnai, a thudding bass, soft cymbals, and even an acoustic guitar with flavours of flamenco, before the song goes in full-on orchestral mode.

The entire song is an acoustic song with some subtle drums, a loud bass and a mixing of folk elements with symphony and orchestral elements.

Sunidhi’s own voice is very restrained, which is a bit of a peculiarity as the singer is mainly known for her very powerful and energetic voice.

Instead, here her whole voice is a bit suppressed, and very morose but passionate in tone, almost hinting to a feeling of strong desperation, and nearly feels like a cry.

The production is very much on point, with the sound design being played in an open enough room, though to accompany its dire mood, much of the soundscape is closed and restrained to sharply highlight the instrumentation along with Sunidhi’s own voice.

The music video for the song is directed by Jomin Varghese, and blends in sublime detail; some striking visuals with surreal imagery and great production. Every detail in the storyboard compliments Sunidhi’s ideology behind the song.

The music video for the song in itself speaks volumes to its themes, as Sunidhi steps on to the grand opera stage wearing a glittering silver dress in full make-up, but there is no radiance in her face, instead there are only signs of exhaustion.

What follows is a scenario of her dancing alongside others, pursuing excellence for her ambition with the pressure slowly getting to her. While walking through silent corridors, black phantom hands are grasping her, indicative of the immense pressure that people face when following the path to perfectionism, only to break down.

Talking about the song, Sunidhi said: “ ‘Tum Kehte Ho’ is not just a song, it is an endeavour to uplift all those souls that have been trapped in the prison of societal pressure to perform. With this track, the idea is to elicit a newfound sense of positivity in those people who have been riddled by negative thoughts. I hope from ‘Tum Kehte Ho’ you all will find strength to achieve what you wish for.”

Sharing her thoughts on the song, lyricist Sunayana Kachroo who penned the song’s words detailed: “ ‘Tum Kehte Ho’ was initially born as a poem in my mind. I wanted to depict how many of us juggle the between our personal truths and the burden of expectations from society; a reminder to never lose the sight of their core essence.”

“ ‘Tum Kehte Ho’ highlights the trials, tribulations and the isolation that creative process entails while emphasising the need for self preservation. Sunidhi has beautifully enhanced my words and ideas by lending her magical voice to the song beautifully composed by Saleel. I really hope this track, in its own small way, helps in changing society’s outlook and free people from the pressure to perform better,” she added.

Speaking on the journey behind the music, composer Saleel Kulkarni said: “Composing this tune was a challenging but creatively rewarding process. ‘Tum Kehte Ho’ had to be complemented with music that is a true reflection of the deep emotions explored in the song. Sunidhi’s mesmerising voice seamlessly blends with the music and lyrics to weave a very powerful impact. This track will leave a lasting effect on listeners.”

IANS