Legendary singer Usha Uthup has collaborated with British singer-songwriter Apache Indian for the bonus track ‘London Dreams’ from the Assamese film ‘Sikaar’. The veteran singer said that the depth of Assamese culture and its emotional plane allowed her and Apache Indian to find a common ground.
‘Sikaar, directed by Debangkar Borgohain, debuted in cinemas on September 20. However, it wasn’t until recently that the bonus track was released. The fusion of Apache Indian’s reggae beats with Usha Uthup’s vocals and featuring Zubeen Garg is getting a lot of positive response from the Assamese audience.
Talking about her collaboration with Apache Indian, Usha Uthup told IANS, “We come from different musical worlds, but Assamese culture is so wide and emotional that it helped us find common ground. Music has no boundaries, and with ‘London Dreams’, we were able to blend our styles while keeping the essence of Assam alive”.
For producer Sam Bhattacharjee, bringing Apache Indian,Usha Uthup, music composer Sameer Sen and singer-actor Zubeen Garg together was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
He said, “Each artiste has such a distinct style, but we aimed to showcase the richness of Assamese culture by blending it with global sounds. The magic happened because all of them were able to bring their unique flair while connecting with the emotional depth of Assam”.
When asked about how Indian music will fare on the international stage going forward, Sam told IANS, “We are seeing a cross-cultural exchange like never before. Indian music is expanding beyond borders, and the collaboration in ‘London Dreams’ is a proof of that. The world is listening to India, and the future is incredibly exciting”.
Produced by Sam Bhattacharjee and Mitra Bhattacharya, ‘Sikaar’ continues to create a buzz as it has entered its third week of release.