Shubham Roy, Katya Krishnan | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

For his first release since 2021, singer-songwriter Shubham Roy has teamed up with singer-songwriter Katya Krishnan and producer GNDHI on a journeying love song titled ‘Dheere’.

Bengaluru-based Shubham says he started working on ‘Dheere’ at the same time as his previous single ‘Aankhi’ released in early 2021. ‘Unfortunately, that was also when the second wave of COVID-19 hit, and we found ourselves in lockdown, which put a lot of our plans on hold.

Like many musicians of that time, Shubham decided to set up a bedroom recording studio which he viewed as a “creative paradise” for himself and his collaborators. “It allowed me to continue experimenting with my music and developing my projects despite the restrictions. I was doing music at the time along with my corporate job,” he says. Eventually, Shubham quit his job and turned his full attention to what turned out to be his upcoming full-length album, a glimpse of which ‘Dheere’ gives us.

The song is produced by Rohit Gandhi aka GNDHI, which is new territory for the artist hitherto known for electronic music. The pair worked on the composition and brought in Shiney Das on the song; GNDHI also introduced Shubham to Katya, a friend and former colleague of the electronic artist. “Katya brought her creative energy and essence to the song, and added layers that really elevated it.”

Katya Krishnan, who studied and lived in Boston and currently lives in Mumbai, says she was immediately drawn to Shubham’s “surprisingly gentle yet extremely powerful voice”. During her time in Boston she connected with Shubham and GNDHI on virtual calls to work on ‘Dheere’, in between sharing various project ideas.

Shubham and GNDHI had previously worked together on a project in 2017. “I was immediately attracted to his unique perception of sound, production style and his deep understanding of song concepts,” says Shubham. By 2019 they teamed up to work on Roy’s album, with ‘Dheere’ being their fourth song, along with the previously released ‘Aankhi’. To mark Shubham’s return to indie music, he decided to release ‘Dheere’ first because it came together based on energy and teamwork.

The song also features guitarist Ritwik Bhattacharya playing acoustic and bass guitars, drummer Ujwal KS and percussionist Siddharth Ravi. “They contributed unique rhythms, each adding to the dynamic flow of the song,” he says. According to Shubham, Shravan Sridhar’s violin added a special touch. “The final sound is a rich, layered experience – a complex blend of electronic soundscapes and classical Indian instruments that feels both fresh and timeless.”

By the time Katya came on board, the song structure, tune and instruments for ‘Dheere’ were already ready. She adds, “I love the vocal production platform, so to add to the growing anticipation I recorded a bunch of Harmony Stacks for parts of the song. The climax of the song – the last line that Shubham and I sing together – was particularly fun for the workshop.

Lyrically, it is a story of passion between two lovers dependent on intimacy. “The push and pull between the two lovers, the longing, is evident within the song – it is certainly sensual, yet there is a kind of sacredness present in the vulnerability, the inability to control the emotions that result. It feels as if something is growing, blooming, breathing,” says Katya while talking about the song.

With ‘Dheere’ now available on all streaming platforms, Shubham is setting the pace and thematic universe for the rest of his genre-blending album, the title of which is yet to be announced. He says, “In this collection, we have woven themes that resonate with everyday experiences and emotions, aiming to create something that is relatable yet profound. We’ve collaborated with some of the most renowned musicians in the country, bringing together diverse influences and talents to create each track into something unique.

Katya, on her part, has described ‘Dheere’ as her first independently released song in Hindi. He had earlier sung composer duo Vishal-Shekhar’s ‘Dil Ki Gali’ for the 2022 comedy/drama. jayeshbhai vigorousShe adds, “For this and next year, I will write, release and perform a series of new R&B, indie and rock tracks, as well as explore my roots by creating music in Hindi and other Indian languages.”