Telling Leslee Lewis that he has been a big part of your childhood gets you a dry chuckle — “Too many people have been saying this.” A reminder of his experience, he jokes, is also a reminder of his age. “No no,” he is quick to add, “To know that I have influenced you with even one song is half my job done.”
Iconic duo from the 1990s Indipop scene Colonial Cousins, comprising Leslee and singer Hariharan, are back in action after a gap of over 10 months, kicking off Jim Beam Originals. The virtual series, phased out over two months, has a very 2020-appropriate theme: reimagination. Ten leading Indian singers and bands such as Shalmali, Shaan, Thaikkudam Bridge, Usha Uthup and Benny Dayal, will reinterpret legendary international artistes in their own styles, for 60-minutes each.
This weekend, Hariharan and Leslee will be giving a “Colonial tadka” to The Eagles. “This will be our tribute to them. I think the fit is fantastic, as the Eagles are very melodious, and Colonial Cousins also stands strong for melody,” says Leslee over a Zoom call. Hariharan puts it more visually: “It’s like if Hotel California were decorated with Indian flowers,” he laughs.
It’s a new experiment for Colonial Cousins, whose forte is live performances — they were playing together at concerts until two months before the pandemic hit. Hariharan has also begun taking masterclasses online for those looking to sharpen their musical skills and understand different genres.
Of course, there is hardly anyone as diverse in his musical genres as Hariharan, celebrated as much for his film songs (‘Uyire/Tu hi re’, ‘Hai Rama’) as for his ghazals and his devotional songs (his version of ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ with T-Series recently crossed a billion views, becoming the first devotional song in the world to do so).
And then there is the indipop side of his with Leslee, hair combed-back and grinning — a picture of the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Their hits ‘Indian Rain’, ‘Sa Ni Dha Pa’, ‘Krishna’, ‘Kai Zhala’ evoke nostalgia and are popular among audiences even today. “The beauty is that the kids of our fans are now following us,” says Hariharan.
While it was indipop that ruled in the ‘90s, Hariharan believes that Sufi and a fusion of folk and rock are genres to keep an eye on, in Indian indie of this generation. The recent absence of blockbuster cinema has also given way for people to experiment with indie music in a better way.
Given we are on the precipice of change in many ways, how does this reflect in the music industry? “I think people are still searching for a new sound to settle in for a few years. In the ‘90s, it was indipop, in the 2010s, it was all about EDM. And remixes, because it’s easy to market a familiar tune. But we don’t have a defining sound for this generation yet,” says Leslee.
Hariharan adds, “The industry has to react to this change. There are wonderful artistes working in parallel but it depends on the sensitivity of marketing companies to lean towards them. They need a platform to pitch their goods, otherwise it’s difficult for non-filmi music to survive.”
Time off to reinvent
If there’s one thing 2020 has been about for the two, it is reinventing the wheel. A pause in performing for endless corporate shows helps. Leslee has been working with upcoming musicians such as Kavya Jones, and also been releasing close to one new song every month.
Hariharan too, is gearing up to release three albums by January 2021. “I have been involved in an electronic project with my son Akshay for which I have sung two or three ghazal tracks in a very modern attempt. I have done an album with Bikram Ghosh (the tabla player), which will be out soon. And, then there are my recordings of six of poet Farhat Shahzad’s compositions,” he says.
Despite the buzz of new releases, however, is the fact that it has personally been a very sombre and trying year for Hariharan. A year marked by the grief of losses, from relatives to fellow singer SP Balasubrahmanyam, whom he looked up to as an elder brother. His voice sounds sorrowful as he recalls, “We were both part of ISRA (Indian Singers Rights Association) and would often meet and talk about music, and exchange tracks. He was always there... and suddenly, he is not there any more. It was a rude shock… One can get depressed easily in times like these… But that is why you have to be spiritually strong, keep your senses alive, think right… Good music is the best healer of them all.”
Colonial Cousins perform on November 7, 9 pm, on Paytm Insider. Tickets cost ₹499, season pass priced at ₹1500, available on http://bit.ly/PRM-PaytmInsider-JimBeamOriginals.
