In an exclusive chat with MiD DAY's The GUIDE, birthday-boy Kailash Kher speaks of his new album that's up for an August release, and touring Nepal to sing in praise of Lord Shiva
In an exclusive chat with MiD DAY's The GUIDE, birthday-boy Kailash Kher speaks of his new album that's up for an August release, and touring Nepal to sing in praise of Lord Shiva
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"I am a Cancerian, I think. Thank you for the wishes," says a bemused Kailash Kher with folded hands and bowed head to a roomful of fans singing Happy Birthday to him, when asked about his star sign, adding, "I don't remember my star sign. You have all made me nervous by wishing me. I'm not used to such attention." 
Kailash Kher (centre) with band-mates Naresh (l) and Paresh (r) Kamath
at the MTV office on his birthday on 7 July
On the rain-soaked morning in July, Kailash turned a year older at the MTV office in Mumbai, where the entire studio floor was transformed into a party pad with balloons strewn all over the place and a make-shift jam room in one corner.
Kailash, though, was there to celebrate more than just his birthday; he was there with band Kailasa to perform two new songs from his as-yet unreleased album titled Kailasa: Rangeele.
"The album will release in August. There are eight tracks on it, which have taken us (bandmates Naresh Kamath and Paresh Kamath) almost a year to create," says Kailash before breaking into a ten-minute soulful rendition of Tu Kya Jaane and the title track, accompanied by Naresh and Paresh on guitar. The spellbinding love songs have the essential Kailasa quality: Sufi-inspired, folksy compositions, reminiscent of his previous work. Point that out to him and he's quick to defend, "I am not a one-track pony if that is what you are saying. But I am a soul singer and I will also sing of divinity before everything else. That is what music is to me. It is spiritual," says the devout Lord Shiva worshipper, born to a Hindu priest in the religious town of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh.
Divine inspiration
Kailash grew up reading and learning about Lord Shiva. His previous songs, Babbam Bam and Jhoomo Re are straight out of Hindu mythology scriptures and narrate tales of the eternal romance between Lord Shiva and Parvati. Recently, on his visit to the Himalayas as a goodwill ambassador for Nepal Tourism, he managed to retrace his spiritual roots.
"Nepal is a beautiful country with numerous holy places. According to Hindu mythology, it is the abode of Lord Shiva," he says, adding, "I plan to do live shows there and to sing about the Lord in the mountains to attract tourists."
It's his qawwal-rich voice that first got him noticed, then rejected, and later rediscovered in Bollywood. "I have always been labelled as the guy with the different voice. I don't mind that. I don't sing for the masses. But now I want to do something different." Which is also why Kailash is looking to add a ninth track on the album, which will be his first real collaboration. "I have no idea what it will sound like. I'm waiting to meet him (American rapper Jason Samuel Smith) and to write something new," says Kailash, who believes no music can be made unless it has been improvised.
At the Coke Studio @ MTV Session, he wrote a song live while jamming with Tamil folk singer Chinna Ponnu. "I was instantly inspired when I met her. I wrote Bayan Mein Kayam Ka right there and then, and we both got a little lost in the melody. As an artiste, nothing is more exciting than to create something new and to do something unexpected," shares the 38-year-old.
The singer, who has lent his voice to 400 songs for the Hindi film industry, has written a song for first-time director Neerav Ghosh's upcoming film, Soundtrack, along with music composers Midival Punditz and Karsh Kale called Main Chala Kaal Ko Harne.
There are playback numbers too, but Kailash can't seem to recall their names. "I have sung so many new tracks recently that I have lost track..."
"Main Deewana Hoon!" he says, suddenly recalling the Ram Sampath track from the Reema Kagti film that he has provided the vocals for.
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