Nikhil Paralikar aka The Tabla Guy Turns Singer on Love Song ‘Tum Shayara’

After years of honing his craft as a classical artist who also gained popularity for his creative covers on tabla, singer-musician Nikhil Paralikar aka The Tabla Guy has released his debut single, the Hindi love song “Tum Shayara.”

Released via Merchant Records (run by music composer duo Salim-Sulaiman), the airy romantic tune is produced by Aditya Kalway and Shivansh Jindal and includes Milind Joshi as lyricist. Paralikar says there’s been a mix of excitement, fulfillment and “sometimes challenges” along the way to releasing “Tum Shayara,” his debut song. He adds, “It involved a deep connection to creative expression, a sense of accomplishment when ideas come together, the song came together followed by the joy of sharing something unique and different with people. I feel every artist’s experience is subjective, but creativity and the act of bringing something new into existence can be a rewarding journey.”

Listen to “Tum Shayara” below

On another level, Paralikar says he was spurred on to write to a song about strong, lifelong bonds, given that it’s wedding season. He says, “Romantic songs might capture the emotions of love and commitment, while upbeat and lively tunes are often chosen for foot tapping and celebration. We Indians celebrate weddings like festivals and this song is a perfect fit for that.” To that end, the best setting to hear “Tum Shayara” in all its glory is at a wedding, according to Paralikar. He says about the several events within a typical Indian wedding can be soundtracked by his song. “Bridal entries, sangeet, roka, wedding after-movies where the entire family and friends from both the groom and bride’s side are shown having a gala time and yet are emotional about the whole process,” he adds.

With his catalog of original songs as The Tabla Guy now open and running, Paralikar says there’s more coming up in 2024. “[It’s] going to be full of original music and some really different levels of live shows that I have been planning for the longest time. It’s time to upgrade and 2024 is the year,” he says.