Leslee Lewis shares fond memories of working with Asha Bhosle
Mumbai, July 30
Music composer Leslee Lewis has shared his fondest memories of working with the late singing legend Asha Bhosle.
The two worked together on many songs including the 90s chartbuster 'Raat Shabnami'. The composer spoke with IANS in the Andheri West area of Mumbai, and said that the late singer gave a lot of importance to mindspace and mood in order to create high quality art.
He told IANS, "Every memory is fond whether it was her birthday, which we cut her cake in the studio and to work with a legend at that level, we are nobody in that sense. But we don't go there and say, 'We want to learn'. She would tell me, 'Leslie is not in the mood today. I will sing tomorrow'. I said, 'But the studio is booked'. She would then say, 'No, I'm not in the mood to sing today'. When I'm in the mood, I will sing".
"That's the actual magic of her. So I think you learn so many things. So with her, they were all special moments. And she really gave me a kind of platform as an independent producer. During one of the award ceremonies, she came up on the stage. She won the award. She said, 'Wait a minute, where is Leslie? Call him on the stage. This won't happen without him'. That is huge. For a young artiste, that was very encouraging", he added.
Earlier, during his official visit to Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted the vinyl edition of 'Colonial Cousins' album by Leslee Lewis and Hariharan.
PM Modi also gifted an Indian Premium Coffee Box, highlighting the diversity of coffee cultivated across the country's leading coffee-growing regions. It includes carefully chosen varieties with distinctive flavour profiles shaped by variations in geography, altitude and processing techniques, such as washed, natural and honey methods.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I grew up listening to Asha Bhosle's voice—Raat Shabnami was my mother's favorite! It's heartwarming to hear how humble and caring she was behind the scenes. Leslee Lewis seems like a genuinely grateful artist too. Both legends in their own right.
As someone who studied music abroad, I always admired how Asha Bhosle's improvisational style influenced Indian pop and fusion. Leslee Lewis's Colonial Cousins project was groundbreaking. The PM's gift choice was spot on—it highlights our cultural soft power beautifully.
Honestly, I wish more artists today had that discipline of waiting for the right creative moment instead of just churning out formulaic songs. Asha ji was a perfectionist. Leslee's anecdote about her calling him on stage at an awards ceremony—that's real mentorship. 🙌
Great article, but I wish it had mentioned more of their lesser-known collaborations. Asha Bhosle's versatility from classical to pop was unmatched. Leslee Lewis often gets overlooked in the mainstream narrative. Good to see him getting recognition.
This brought back such memories. I used to hum "Raat Shabnami" while commuting to work in Bangalore. Asha Bhosle's voice transcends generations. Leslee Lewis's humility here is refreshing—he didn't take her respect for granted. True artiste. ❤️
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