With love, for love

Ayaan and Amaan Ali Bangash

Imagine the sarod getting an electronica makeover. Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash's EP We for Love does just that. And also for a cause. Curated, produced and presented by the brothers, the EP aims to raise awareness and proceeds for the Justice For Every Child campaign that was launched by Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation (KSCF). Founded in 2021, this national campaign is working to ensure victims of child sexual abuse and rape get timely justice and mental health support.

Excerpts from the interview

What is the thought behind the EP?
Amaan: We For Love was an idea that became a reality organically. We were honoured to have performed at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony and at the Peace Prize concert back in 2014 when Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yusufzai got the Peace Prize, so ever since [then] we wanted to take forward the message of the Satyarthi Foundation.

What kind of artistes have you collaborated with for the record and what do they bring to the table?
Amaan: We are so honoured to have a galaxy of artistes who are such game changers in their field. Creatively, it was a desire to work with all of them for years, but perhaps this cause got us all together as all the artistes resonated with the ethos of the campaign.
Ayaan: You could call it an experimental EP that embraces an eclectic mix of collaborators including Karan Johar, Karsh Kale, Malini Awasthi, Mahesh Kale, Shubha Mudgal and our father and guru the iconic Ustad Amjad Ali Khan. The prolific Paresh Maity has been instrumental in creating the cover art of the presentation and has taken inspiration from his Odyssey of Celebration XII.

What do you hope listeners will take away from this EP - musically, lyrically and emotionally?
Amaan: We For Love has the most diverse line up of artistes in-terms of soundscapes and sensibilities. From electronic to classical, from thumri to bhajans everything seamlessly comes together in divine accord. In fact, this EP is our first presentation with so many artistes coming together for a noble cause.
Ayaan: The idea was to create endless pathways to make a positive impact, which is both uplifting and action-inspiring. Today, the appeal of socially conscious music is widespread and we are happy to contribute to this revolution time and again. We thank every artiste on the project for wholeheartedly participating in the process and making this EP one of our most memorable collaborative pieces thus far.