(From left to right) Delara, Charan and Talal Qureshi. Photos: courtesy of the artist
Norwegian pop artist Delara has often infused her Persian lineage into her songwriting. It went to another level when she joined pop artists like Kaifi Khalil for “Piya Piya Calling” from Coke Studio Pakistan last year. Now, her topsy-turvy song “Kalash” brings her closer to the desi pop space, with the reimagined version of the original featuring Pakistani producer Talal Qureshi and Mumbai-based singer-songwriter Charan.
The original, taken from her 2024 debut album Shahrazad, also features a verse from Jamaican-American artist Beam, adding to the globe-trotting sonic flavors. Together, they make “Kalash” a blend of R&B, pop and dancehall, with Charan adding Hindi vocals, singing, “Dilli se Lahore hai phaili afwah koi (Rumors have spread from Delhi to Lahore).”
Binding a handful of geographies together, there’s a club-friendly urgency on the track that allows all artists to capture carpe diem energy in their own way. Delara says, “I wanted to bring together voices that carry something real. With Beam and two powerful South Asian artists, the ‘Kalash’ remix became a meeting of cultures often boxed in, but with more in common than people think. To me, it’s not about representing everything, but staying open to what can grow in the spaces between.”
Qureshi adds in his statement, “The remix is all about capturing the tension between vulnerability and release, letting the music take you on that emotional rollercoaster.”
Charan says in his statement, “Each of us brought our own energy and vision to the track, and the result is something truly special. This remix is a celebration of global identities, a fusion of cultures and sonic influences that come together to create something bigger than the sum of its parts.”
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