Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
Radhika Vekaria’s yearning for transcendence comes through every second of her new single “Liberate”. This new entry in the British/Indian and East African’s growing musical catalog embodies that yearning in musical form. It couples her penchant for mainstream musical art with her abiding spiritual faith in a manner that’s accessible to all listeners rather than a narrow segment of her audience. This has always been the story with Vekaria’s art – she has crafted her work in such a way that it conveys her message through the dual lens of everyday language and spiritual concerns alike without ever alienating listeners.
Much of the reason for that is the unquestionable welcome that the sound of her music offers. There’s nothing unduly fancy or overwrought about the arrangement for “Liberate”. She constructs the song in a quasi-symphonic fashion. Incrementalism builds the track from restrained beginnings into an eventual impassioned storm of sound that her voice inhabits with total command. It’s an invigorating approach to the material that virtually locks listeners in from the first.
Her mix of conversational, yet intensely personal, lyrical content with the use of the Maha Mritjunjaya mantra doesn’t prove to be challenging. Even if you can’t understand the mantra’s contents, you will respond to the rhythmic and percussive sound of her voice which is, of course, a critical aspect of its allure. It layers the song with added, if unexpected, musicality. The gathering force of the single’s arrangement pairs well with such moments.
The timbre of her voice pairs well. There are ethereal qualities to her phrasing that are persistent throughout the track. However, it’s never so airy that it risks translucence. She manages to convey a palpable gravitas to “Liberate” that emphasizes the seriousness of the piece while still keeping things resolutely musical. Her voice has deceptive power. Vekaria’s vocals near the song’s conclusion are far more muscular than the opening would suggest her capable of summoning.
There’s a deceptive strength pervading the entire track. It is not apparent at first but emerges from the track more and more as listeners move deeper into the performance. That strength comes from within. Few modern singers and songwriters pour as much of their personal experience into their work as we find with Radhika Vekaria’s songs, and opening its parameters to encompass a spiritual component increases its appeal. Even those who aren’t so inclined will feel moved by the wealth of emotion powering this performance.
We can expect to hear more of the same from her. Vekaria draws from an apparently bottomless well of inspiration for her music, and there are no hints of exhaustion during this cut. Instead, the act of performance seems to inspire Vekaria to new heights as the song develops, and she finishes the song in a virtual frenzy of feeling. It’s a purifying experience for both the artist and her audience. Radhika Vekaria could have chosen a very different career path, but music called to her. We can be thankful that she heeded its siren song.
Brent Musgrave
