Shalmali is a Mumbai based singer who made her breakthrough with the song Pareshan in the 2012 movie Ishaqzaade. She also won the Filmfare award in the Best Female Playback Singer category for Pareshaan. Since then Shalmali has delivered numerous hits and has won or been nominated for numerous awards, including another Filmfare award nomination for the song Balam Pichkaari from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. Some of her other hits include Daaru Desi from Cocktail and Aga Bai from Aiyyaa. Shalmali started learning music from the age of 8 under the tutelage of her mother, Uma Kholgade, a trained Hindustani Classical singer. She was accepted to the prestigious Los Angeles College of Music but chose to forgo her eligibility to fulfill her recording commitments. Aside from playback singing, the talented songstress also releases her own music and some of her YouTube videos have over 1 million views. Shalmali usually sings in Hindi but her latest track, Regular is in English and that’s what we will be reviewing here.
Right off the hook, Regular is anything but regular. Shalmali packs a lot of stuff for listeners (and viewers) to appreciate in the song and its video. Fireworks don’t last for long in the sky, but they are always spectacular. And perhaps there is no better analogy for Regular than that.
Shalmali’s voice has a very rich and sultry tone to it and it fits perfectly well with the melody of the song. The video is an extension of that rich and sultry tone which makes for a very brief but encapsulating watch. There are multiple vocal tracks layered on top of each other to create a dreamy, ethereal atmosphere. The rich instrumental accompaniment does a great job of complementing Shalmali’s vocals. There is a good amount of digital effects in the mix but they never feel overdone or seem out of place in the song. The production on the song is top notch and it ties everything together in a tight, minute and a half package.
Regular isn’t just made for an Indian audience. It can definitely transcend international boundaries and become a global success. The lyrics, enunciation, video aesthetics and even the wardrobe choices have an international appeal. Once it ends, the song leaves you wanting for more. What great thing in life doesn’t make you feel that way?
Head over to Shalmali’s Spotify to listen to the full song- https://open.spotify.com/album/1rWmQY4m4m3l8bwVPoaPOk?si=k4cFZ00ESBi6cQTAABjn_w
Verdict: Succinct, serene, sultry, and sensational.
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