Indian-American vocalist Subhi unmasks a sense of acceptance and facing
inner conflicts with her ballad Naqaab. With a piano-driven melody by
herself, the song builds up brilliantly with an opera-like quality. This
grandeur is what makes the song brim with optimism and inspiration,
emotions that are much needed in the current times of uncertainty.

The production by Taylor Sparks is simple and elegant, much like Subhi’s
lyrics. A part that really stands out in the song comes in its final few
seconds as Subhi hums the refrain before hitting one powerful note to
repeat the chorus, reminiscing on the fact that she and the listener are still
stuck in their masks (naqaab).

Considering how the global pandemic has changed life as we know it, the
theme around “naqaab” serves as a double entendre. There are the masks
that we’ve started wearing every day to avoid catching the virus, and then
there are our own masks, facades that we might often use to hide out true
feelings from the rest of the world.

Verdict- Naqaab is a powerful song marked with Subhi unveiling a mask of
boldness and confidence.