Sonu Nigam releases Aadesh Shrivastava’s last song, Ave Maria, this Christmas; also features Budapest Film Orchestra
Sonu Nigam revives Ave Maria to “honour” late composer Aadesh Shrivastava's vision; they worked on the prayer song together in 2011, but couldn't complete it.
In a career spanning over four decades, singer Sonu Nigam has recorded songs across genres and geographies. And a major part of his music repertoire comprises devotional songs. This Christmas, the musician has come up with a special offering, Ave Maria, to pay homage to Mother Mary. “Ave Maria, a traditional Christian prayer and a timeless classic that has been performed by legendary artistes across the world, has always resonated with me. However, I never anticipated it would become such a significant part of my musical journey,” says Nigam, as he goes on to talk about the way the song came his way. He credits late composer Aadesh Shrivastava for being the catalyst for it in 2011.
“Besides being a brilliant musician, Aadesh ji was a beloved elder brother. He was known for his collabs with musicians in the West. He was working on two songs for an international project and one of them was Ave Maria. When he was requested for an Indian vocalist for it, he suggested my name, as he recognised my training and interest in western music styles. Given the opportunity to render something so profound, I prepared meticulously by listening to both the classical and contemporary renditions of Ave Maria. And to deepen my understanding of western vocal techniques, one of Aadesh ji’s close friends, a western music expert from New York, travelled to Mumbai to train me. He guided me through the nuances of voice projection and style, which were distinctly different from Indian classical singing. After several rehearsals, we were ready to bring the song to life. But unfortunately, Aadesh ji passed away before the project could be completed,” says Nigam.
The singer, who will be releasing the song on December 22 on his independent music label I Believe Music, was determined to see Shrivastava’s vision through: “To honour Aadesh ji’s vision, I decided to revive Ave Maria. With the support of his son, Avitesh, I sourced the original tracks and then sought the help of my immensely talented musician brother Salim Merchant. Salim connected me to the Budapest Film Orchestra, which recorded the grand western orchestration for the song. A talented musical duo, Anurag Saikia and Ishan Das, helped us in restructuring the chord progressions, arranging symphonies, and designing the orchestration for the track. Music composer Japjisingh Valecha facilitated the recording of the orchestration for the song with the Budapest Film Orchestra.”
With an aim to showcase the unique cultural identity of Christianity in India while honouring its roots across the world, Sonu Nigam explains how the song got a “distinct Indian essence”. He shares, “We incorporated the soulful melodies of the sarangi and the shehnai, seamlessly blending Indian classical music with the grandeur of western orchestration.”
Calling his rendition of Ave Maria “a personal tribute” to his mother, the musician credits learnings from her and his early education in convent schools for inspiring him. “My mother always instilled the belief in us that God is one. She taught us how all paths lead to one supreme power. Also, as a child, I was an avid comic book enthusiast. I enjoyed reading comics across topics, including those inspired by different religions, and one of my sets focused on the life of Jesus Christ, which left a lasting impression on my mind. I was also fortunate to receive my primary education in convent schools, where we were never taught to focus on the differences between religions. Thanks to those formative years, I always learnt the principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which means the world is one family.”
Sonu Nigam goes on to recall his visits to Israel – the birthplace of Jesus Christ – in the 1990s and how that impacted him hugely. “In 1995, I had the opportunity to visit Israel for the first time for a concert. My sound engineer friend, Henry, requested me to get him a rosary. I was eager to explore all the sacred sites in Israel. The first thing I did upon arriving was visiting the Church of the Nativity - the birthplace of Jesus Christ. The vibe and energy of the place moved me, as I felt a profound connection to the spiritual and cultural heritage of Christianity. I returned to Israel in 1999 with my parents and sisters, and to this day, I feel fortunate to have visited the Church of the Nativity four times. I also had the privilege of experiencing one of Christianity’s holiest sites — the Holy Edicule, a sacred shrine within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Those visits impacted me spiritually," he says.
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