Bulli Bainbridge Enlists Rappers Irfana and Trichia Grace-Ann on New Single ‘One Me’

Ever since releasing his seven-track full-length debut album SEASONS this past January, Mumbai-based producer Zain Calcuttawala aka Bulli Bainbridge admits to finding a new drive as an artist. He says, “I was terrified of releasing my own music, but now there’s an excitement that’s been added to the mix, which is pushing me to keep creating.” Now, he’s back with a crispy new collaboration with Kodaikanal-bred hip-hop artist Irfana and vocalist/rapper Trichia Grace-Ann on the blazing song “One Me.”

Grace-Ann featured on the song “The Queen” from SEASONS and Calcuttawala believes that he’s formed a strong working relationship with her. “I truly believe in her artistry; she’s got a lot to offer and I also know that she doesn’t want to be pigeonholed either,” says the producer. Once he had the beat down for “One Me,” Calcuttawala shared it with Grace-Ann who recommended having Irfana on board too. “Irfana and I had spoken briefly a few times before, so I asked if she’d be game to work together. I sent her the beat and she really liked it,” says Calcuttawala. He adds, “We bonded over the fact that we went to the same school, Kodaikanal International School, and she still spends a lot of her time in the town, and she penned the lyrics the last time she was there.”

“One Me” includes a stomping unconventional hip-hop beat as well as Bulli Bainbridge’s sonic embellishments while Irfana’s hard-hitting rhymes and Grace-Ann’s hooky vocals are a perfect match for the track. The song came together with all three artists sharing voice notes with each other and Calcuttawala says, “I said to Irfana and Trichia, ‘I don’t know if I want to be the best at what I do, but I know I want to be the only one who does what I do.’ Meaning we ought to pay more attention to what really resonates with us as artists rather than wondering how the industry will label us.” The producer adds, “And a lot of the time, we sometimes feel pressured to conform to some kind of idea or trend but being able to push back and do your own thing can be a really powerful statement in itself. I think both artists really understood that and expressed it with a powerful and feminine energy.” Irfana recorded her parts in Goa while Calcuttawala recorded Grace-Ann’s vocals at Mumbai’s Island City Studios.

With “One Me” now out of the way, Bulli Bainbridge doesn’t plan on slowing down and informs us that he has three more collaborations in the works currently. There’s also a new version of his song “Monochrome” from SEASONS being worked on by electronica/orchestral duo the Bombay Dub Orchestra which includes artists Garry Hughes and Andrew T. Mackay. Calcuttawala says, “I will continue to challenge myself with different genres and various artists because I don’t want to be pigeonholed into anything.”

Stream “One Me” on Spotify below and on other platforms.