Kolkata witnessed an unexpected and memorable musical moment on Sunday night when Arijit Singh appeared on stage alongside renowned sitar virtuoso Anoushka Shankar at a concert held at the Netaji Indoor Stadium. The appearance marked Arijit’s first live performance since he announced his decision to step away from playback singing late last month.
The surprise collaboration unfolded to thunderous applause as Anoushka invited Arijit to join her during the concert. Later sharing glimpses of the evening on social media, Anoushka expressed her emotional connection to the performance, describing it as a deeply personal experience, especially as it involved music composed by her father, the late Pandit Ravi Shankar.
The evening opened with a moving rendition of Maya Bhora Raati, a rarely performed Bengali composition by Ravi Shankar, originally sung by Lakshmi Shankar. Arijit teamed up with Anoushka and acclaimed percussionist Bickram Ghosh for the piece, drawing the audience into a rich blend of classical and contemporary sound.
During the interaction on stage, Arijit revealed that the collaboration was born out of a recent meeting at Anoushka’s home, where the two spent time exchanging ideas and working on new music. He later joined her again for Traces of You, a well-known composition co-created by Anoushka and international singer-songwriter Norah Jones, transforming it into an intimate live duet.
Introducing Arijit to the crowd, Anoushka highlighted the uniqueness of the moment, while the singer, visibly moved, admitted to feeling nervous. “I am very nervous. Thank you for having me,” he told the cheering audience, drawing an even louder response.
The combination of Anoushka’s evocative sitar and Arijit’s emotive vocals created a spellbinding atmosphere, leaving the audience immersed in what many described as a rare and transcendent musical experience. For fans, the night was not just a concert, but a gentle reminder that even after stepping back from playback singing, Arijit Singh’s connection with live music remains deeply alive.
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