The Raghu Dixit Project burst on to the Indian independent music scene around 2007 with their hit single ‘Hey Bhagwan’ and a dash of colourful lungis. Having maintained a low profile in India for quite some time, it seems as if they’ve finally made a mark for themselves, gathering up a niche audience. They have, however, experienced phenomenal success abroad, having performed for a show that aired on BBC alongside artists such as the legendary Robert Plant and Adele, among others. His immense popularity is reflected in the fact that they are now flooded with offers to perform at various events around the globe.
Their music, to say the least, is a perfect blend. Beautiful, soulful lyrics combined with equally mesmerizing and soothing tunes; a mix that is rarely found these days. The lyrics are the blend of old and new with inputs coming in from not just their songwriter but also from ancient songs and poetry.
From peppy, foot- tapping numbers like ‘Mysore se Aayi’ and ‘When I’m in Mumbai’ to rich soulful songs like ‘No Man will Ever Love You’ and ‘Ambar’ that make you want to sway in the moonlight, their bilingual songs have got it all. Their most famous song, ‘Hey Bhagwaan’ is a prayer to the God above to give each of us a second chance. “As humans, we tend to make mistakes and it’s never too late to one day wake up, want to leave your past behind and start over!” to quote their website.
Their first and only album as of now, Antaragni, was released back in 2008 with eight songs on the record. Their songs were like a gust of fresh air in the age of mindless Bollywood songs with nothing but groovy beats to back them. That’s probably the reason why their fans have held onto them for so long despite the fact that there has been no new album. Even today, their concerts are jam packed and nobody leaves one without a huge smile playing on their lips and an immense sense of satisfaction.
But along with all the brilliant music, there is something else that makes their concerts memorable– Raghu Dixit, the man himself. His wit and charm alone would suffice to have you in splits. It’s as if he exudes happiness and it makes you realize how much he loves what he does. It makes you want to laugh and sing along to the songs. Then, of course, there is the sheer brilliance of his voice. It has the power to melts hearts.
Their fans are waiting with baited breaths for the release of their new album, having already had a preview of some songs at their concerts. And as someone who has had firsthand experience of a few songs on their yet to be released album, I can assure you that it is definitely worth the wait. It beautifully captures various emotions and exhibits Raghu’s immense knowledge of the classical dance forms.
Prepare to be blown away by the magic that is Raghu Dixit. And to all their ardent fans out there, once this album is out, you’ll finally have a replacement for ‘Ambar’. Or maybe even better, I guarantee.
Surya Rajappan
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