Shiamak Davar returns to music

Shiamak Davar might be known for his slick moves but he is not new to music. Shiamak is hopeful that Shabop, his upcoming album, will bring pop music back in the limelight, in today’s struggling independent music scene.

Shiamak Davar might be known for his slick moves but he is not new to music. In the late ’90s, when he was making his mark as a choreographer in Bollywood, Shiamak had already dabbled in Indi-pop. His debut album, Mohabbat Kar Le (1997) was a hit. And while the catchy title track was one of the most popular dance numbers of the time, love ballad Jaane Kisne had also topped the charts. Dil Chahe, the second offering that came in 1999, could not replicate the success of the first, but Shiamak is hopeful that Shabop, his upcoming album, will bring pop music back in the limelight, in today’s struggling independent music scene. The album comes after a gap of 13 years.

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“Although I’ve been away from the circuit, I have been composing throughout. So I thought the time was right to release my work,” he says.

Shabop features 10 songs with elements of pop and hip-hop. “The album captures the collective moods of the mind, body and soul. The title of the album is a shorter form of Shiamak’s hip-hop, and it reflects a simple message, which is ‘don’t worry, just dance’,” explains Shiamak. Shabop is available on the digital music platform Artist Aloud, where listeners can preview and download the tracks.

One of the songs, Zara Zara, features Bollywood playback singer and composer Shankar Mahadevan. “Shankar was a back-up vocalist for Mohabbat Kar Le and is now a big star. He is a musical genius and the first person I could think of collaborating with when I composed this song,” says Shiamak.

On another number, Main Chaloon, Shiamak has teamed up with Hariharan. The album also included a rearranged, acoustic version of Jaane Kisne. “I wanted to keep it very simple and rustic, that’s why we retained only the piano and vocals,” says Shiamak.