Premiere: Composer Janapriyan Levine Enlists Vocalist Shweta Subram for ‘Dil Mera’

California-based producer-composer Janapriyan Levine and Indo-Canadian singer-songwriter Shweta Subram introspect on the moments of anguish just before a heartbreak on their latest Hindi song “Dil Mera.”

Levine, a New York-born composer who has been collaborating with Indian artists for nearly two decades, called on Subram for the track. The Dubai-based singer, a seasoned voice who’s contributed to Bollywood soundtracks such as Hawaizaada in 2015, recently scored big with Tesher and Jason Derulo’s cheeky viral hit “Jalebi Baby” last year.

The mood is much more somber and openhearted with “Dil Mera,” though. Going over a santoor-like pattern, the song draws from Levine’s affinity for Indian classical music. “You might have lost love or you might be nearing that moment when your love will leave you. You start to question everything. It’s a bitter pill to take when we know those good feelings are not coming back,” a description for the song says. Levine says “Dil Mera” originated with the lyrics and direction provided by Subram. “I shaped the music around her vocal. Shweta is one of the most energetic singers I have worked with. She brings a lot of life to the creative process,” the composer says.

While “Dil Mera” was recorded in California in 2020, around when the pair also recorded a version of India’s national anthem “Jana Gana Mana” with a small children’s choir (arranged remotely from Mumbai). “It was a great project, everyone loved it. Her spirit was the perfect fit to complement the children’s voices,” adds Levine.

Watch the video for “Dil Mera” below.