Shashwat Bulusu Releases Long-Anticipated Single ‘Raani’: ‘The Song Belongs to Fans Now’

One of the first things singer-songwriter Shashwat Bulusu wants you to know about his new release “Raani” is that the song “does not reflect me as a musician today.”

In a letter shared with fans, Vadodara-raised Bulusu looked back at the winding journey the song has taken on in terms of being a fan favorite over the last 10 years. From bootleg recordings passed around by fan communities to messages asking him to release it, Bulusu says he had even “developed disdain” towards the Hindi song.

He adds in his letter, “In all these years, people continued to spend time with the song and campaigned for an official release everywhere they could access me. When I say campaign, I’m talking about a few thousand messages or comments on the internet asking for the release. I just didn’t want to give in because I was no longer the person who wrote it.”

Bulusu, like several artists, realized that a song can take a life of its own whether or not the artist likes it. “I tried to live in denial of the love it kept receiving but it is time to end this decade-long relationship with ‘Raani’ and give it to the audience. The song belongs to them now,” the singer-songwriter says in a press statement along with the release.

Seemingly bearing all the distinct flourishes of a Bulusu track – from the Indian classical-informed vocals to the threadbare production and arrangement – the artist says he wrote “Raani” about “finding peace in the mountains.” The original message, as he notes in a statement, is about inviting a friend to “give in to the peace of the mountains and all the flora and fauna that they shelter.” He adds, “It is minimally produced to mimic a lullaby or a soundtrack to monsoons.”

The release of “Raani” follows a similar trajectory to Chennai-bred singer-songwriter and pop artist Mali’s new song “Walk Away.” Mali said that a live recording of the track led to fans anticipating the release of her song since 2017, even as the artist wrote and released vastly different material.

Bulusu, for his part, continues to forge on with new music that will, in fact, more accurately represent his “artistic personality.” His next is a Hindi EP scheduled for release later this year.