My Pod With Deepa Nair Rasiya

CLASSICALLY trained singer Deepa Nair Rasiya recently won the coveted Jury Award at the 2016 Artist Aloud Independent Music Awards in India for her 10-track Punjabi Sufi album Destination. The London-bornsinger/songwriter has received acclaim for hersoul-stirring

vocal style and has had her work featured on international albums.

Kholo Kholo Darwaze from Taare Zameen Par: I love this song for a hundred reasons. The beauty of the film enhances the experience of this

ultra-cool

guitar riff led song. It is one of the most uplifting Bollywood songs I have ever come across, touching on hope, encouragement, joy and optimism. Blue Eyes

by Elton John: This is perhaps a

little-known

song, but it is in the list for the pure nostalgia factor. A very sweet song from a very poignant time in my life.

Someone Else from Meet Joe Black: Thomas Newman is a fabulous Hollywood compos- er and this track has such a

soul-stirring,

romantic feel to it. If anyone has proven ‘less is more’ in music, it is Thomas New- man in my view. His very sparse sound- tracks can sometimes be the most effective in cinematic experiences.

Divenire by Ludivico Einaudi: Ludivico is one of my favourite composers and his mu- sic is what I turn to for meditation, solace, reflection and contemplation time. He is a master musician and master composer whose music is teeming with feeling and emotion. I know a lot of students who use his music during revision time.

Ab Toh Jaag by Deepa Nair Rasiya: From my album Destination, this is one of the best songs I have released. I was totally taken by Baba Bulleh Shah’s lyrics urging mankind to awaken from their dreamlike stupour. I managed to create the feel I had in mind when I first composed it and it ended up with the exact

anthem-like

spirit musically that I wanted. A song I am very proud of.

Earth Song by Michael Jackson: The melo- dy, subject matter, depiction and delivery are stunningly beautiful and always move me to tears. In every way this song and the video was arresting and captivating. I am sure no one that has heard the song will have been able to dismiss it.

Main Sufi Hoon Sarmasta by Abida Parveen:

One of my idols, Abida Parveen is nothing short of a mystic herself and her powerful spirited renditions of Sufi classics never fail to move me. This song is one of many that inspire me. Beautifully arranged by the Pa- kistan Coke studio team.

Pachchai Nirame from Alaipayuthey: AR Rahman used an ingenious and exquisite Celtic feel in this Tamil film song, which was recreated in Hindi as Saathiya. It works beautifully and has been sung brilliantly by A Hariharan. I love it and it used to be on a loop on my iPod when it first came out.

One Man’s Dream by Yanni:

Heart-melting-

ly beautiful piano music, which I used to listen to a lot in my younger days and still do. Just pure sweet music

Kiss From A Rose from Batman Forever: I just love this song by Seal.