28 September 2023: Khatija Rahman has released her debut album, "Kuhu Kuhu", as a tribute to the late music luminary Lata Mangeshkar on her birth anniversary.
The album, which also features the all-female Firdaus Orchestra, comprises renditions of Mangeshkar’s iconic songs such as,
“Piya Tose”, “Aapki Nazron Ne Samjha”, “Kuhu Kuhu Bole Koyaliya”,
“Bekas Pe Karam” and “O Sajna”
Swati Bhat
Click the image to WATCH the Video
In honor of Lata Mangeshkar, one of the finest female musicians of all time, Khatija performs Kuhu Kuhu as a group.
The five-song collection, which features Mangeshkar's well-known songs like "Piya Tose Naina Laage Re," "Aapki Nazron Ne Samjha," "Kuhu Kuhu Bole Koyaliya," "Bekas Pe Karam," and "O Sajna," is a wonderful showcase for Khatija's beautiful vocals. The musician's goal in composing "Kuhu Kuhu" was to honor the ability, brilliance, and artistry of everyone who contributed to the creation of these musical treasures. Khatija extends her sincere gratitude through this release to the illustrious original composers, arrangers, and lyricists of these timeless songs, including SD Burman, Madan Mohan, Adi Narayana Rao, Naushad, Salil Chowdhury, Shailendra, Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, Bharat Vyas, and Shakeel Badayuni.
Kuhu Kuhu, which is released with SaReGaMa, was written as a joyful homage to Lata Mangeshkar and her eternal musical legacy. The remarkable Firdaus Orchestra, a project of Expo City Dubai, an all-female ensemble mentored by composer A.R. Rahman and supported by UAE Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and CEO, Expo City Dubai Authority, is featured on this all-acoustic album while maintaining the songs' original essence.
About ‘Kuhu Kuhu’, musician Khatija Rahman communiquéd, “I began learning music in my teenage years. I had always marveled at Lata Mangeshkar ji’s artistry, but when my teacher introduced me to ‘Mughal-E-Azam’ and other songs was when I started to actually sing and record myself performing her songs. Since then, I’ve had a beautiful journey with Lata Ji’s music and I’ve enjoyed my moments of exploring her catalog. ‘Kuhu Kuhu’ is my tribute to Lata ji and a way of paying my respects to a musician who changed the world as we know it. Her positive message to me following my first single is what inspired this album.” She further added, “‘Kuhu Kuhu’ has also been largely possible due to Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy who has always been supportive of women in the arts. We’ve kept the sound of the album pure, rich, and live to capture the essence of the music from the retro years. I hope people find nostalgia, joy, and comfort in ‘Kuhu Kuhu’. Music has no cultural, national, or gender barriers, and your support means a lot to me.”
The "Piya Tose" music video is particularly noteworthy since it displays a symbolic image of international cooperation and representation. It shows Khatija performing with the amazing Firdaus Orchestra, which is made up of 54 female instrumentalists from 26 different countries. The UAE Pavilion in Expo City, Dubai, played the location host for the music video for Khatija, who believes in the power of limitless creative synergy — not just behind the scenes but also on the screen and stages.
In 2020, Khatija's maiden single "Farishton" was launched. Lata Mangeshkar called this young talent, spoke to her, and appreciated her skills. She also expressed her approval of the song. In honor of Mangeshkar's birthday, Khatija is now releasing a five-track CD.
Khatija Rahman's debut album showcases both her diverse vocal range and ongoing artistic growth. With her 2020 release, "Farishton," Khatija set the bar high by promoting equality, peace, and community in both the song and the Miyazaki-inspired fantasy setting of the music video. For the songs of hope and healing, "Ahimsa" and "Iltaja," Khatija also worked with the magnificent Irish rock band U2 and Grammy Award-winning composer Ricky Kej.
Global audiences have been captivated by her cinematic ballads from Ponniyin Selvan-2 and Iravin Nizhal. Khatija had her playback acting debut at the age of 14 with Enthiran, and ever since then, she has been carving out a remarkable career as a new-age artist who is rooted in innovation and creativity. The musician will then make her compositional debut with Minmini. The musician hopes that when Kuhu Kuhu is released, listeners will be taken back to their early years and will feel comfort and delight from the tribute CD.
With her innovative skills, the up-and-coming musician has been creating outstanding songs, including the Coke Studio India smash "Sagavaasi" with Arivu, "Rock A Bye Baby" with Julia Gartha from Mimi, "Pranama Pranama" with Vijay Yesudas from Maamannan, and more. Khatija has performed in a variety of musical genres, including classical, rock, hip-hop, and pop. The musician offers listeners a unique selection of old Bollywood songs in her debut CD.
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