Popular singer-songwriter Kamakshi Khanna has also been teaching music for a while. Ever since she released her debut album Cakewalk in 2017, she has been a teacher, first at Gurugram’s One World College of Music and later at True School of Music in Mumbai. While dedicated to teaching music, Kamakshi Khanna never stopped writing her own music. For three years, Kamakshi Khanna has taught and written music, creating a vast repertoire of songs. Now, she is back with her latest track, “Qareeb” and that’s the song we are reviewing here.
“Qareeb” is also the first time that Kamakshi Khanna has released a song in Hindi. However, she has said that the songwriting process isn’t that different from writing an English song. The song was a result of a call from a friend who informed her about an opportunity for female singer-songwriters to write a Hindi song. According to Khanna, the song came about in a very spontaneous and positive manner and she managed to finish it in just a few hours. Unfortunately (or fortunately in the long run), the song was rejected and Kamakshi Khanna was able to keep the song for herself.
“Qareeb” talks about the endorphin rush and the emotional highs associated with being in love. The song was written at a time when she was in a very happy relationship and part of it reflects that happiness. However, the song also talks about how being in love doesn’t mean you should neglect your own needs. “Qareeb” also deals with the stuff that we learn when we let go of love and how it allows us to rediscover ourselves
Musically, the track has a minimalistic arrangement with an R&B vibe. The simple and minimalistic rhythm of the song does a great job of carrying Kamakshi Khanna’s awesome vocals along. The solid beat and engaging rhythm stays consistent throughout the song and is made interesting by subtle changes in the dynamics and the pattern. The song’s melodic hook was provided by guitarist Pranav Pahwa while the groovy bass line and beat were written by the producer duo of Anhad and Tanner.
While talking about “Qareeb”, it will be downright criminal to not talk about the incredible stop motion video accompanying the song. The video was conceptualized, created and directed by Arsh Grewal and it features handmade characters and surroundings. Grewal used felt cloth as her medium and created this wonderful world within which the protagonist of “Qareeb” discovers self love. It really does add a lot to the experience of enjoying “Qareeb” and you should definitely watch “Qareeb” while listening to it.
Verdict: A beautiful journey of self discovery and self love.
Do Follow:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/kamakshikhannamusic
