UNIVERSAL MUSIC LAUNCHES HARIHARANS PROTÉGÉ LAVANYAS FIRST STUDIO ALBUM TITLED “MAAHI”
LAVANYA AND HARIHARAN PERFORMED SONGS FROM THE NEW ALBUM AT
Mumbai, Universal Music launches Padma Shri Hariharan’s protégé Lavanya’s first studio album, ‘Maahi’. The album was launched today by Padma Shri Hariharan and music industry veteran Padma Bhushan Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khansaab (Guru of Sonu Nigam, Shaan amongst others) at Cinemax, Andheri. Lavanya enthralled the audiences with a `live’ performance of few of the songs from the album.
Maahi is a contemporary pop album with various genres of music pooled in, showcasing Lavanya’s abilities as a singer. The album is also extremely musically rich, having been composed and produced by Hariharan and programmed by one of the best programmers in the industry, Stephen Devassy. This also marks the first time Hariharan is composing for anyone other than himself in the private album sector.
Says Lavanya, “’Maahi’ is my dream come true! I am truly blessed to have the best…Hariji’s compositions, Stephen’s programming and some amazing lyricists too on this album! We have all immensely enjoyed the journey thus far and am hoping and praying it only gets even better from here on… We loved making it…hope you enjoy listening to it too!! :)”
Lavanya (better known as RJ Lavanya) has learnt Hindustani Classical from Padma Bhushan Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan since the last 19 years. She has done her Grade 5 Western Classical Exam and Grade 5 Rock School Exam with the Trinity College of Music – Guildhall, London. Lavanya also has a 10 year successful stint as a Radio Jockey. She started her career with All India Radio in 1999 on both FM Rainbow & FM Gold, before joining Radio City and Big FM. She regularly performs and does live shows (as a singer & compere) with singer Hariharan and Shankar besides doing various corporate & other events both as a singer & compere in India and abroad.
Maahi features some of the top lyricists who have given it their own beautiful twist which has only taken the album forward. Two of the tracks in the album feature Hariharan as a guest artist – his blessings for her protégé and the album.
Padmashree Hari Haran commented, “I met Lavanya when she was still in school. She was so filled with enthusiasm to learn and become a musician so I took her to my Ustad ji.. Today it feels great to see that she has bloomed into a singer of repute..but the enthusiasm still remains..and that’s the best part!”
Padma Bhushan Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khansaab added, “A long time ago Hari brought this small little girl to me – Lavi and asked me to teach her. I took her under my wing and it’s been 19 years to this association. She is now my daughter and my best wishes and blessings are always with her. May this album do really well and bring her lots of success and happiness for all her future endeavours too!”
Said Sunil D’sa, Vice President -Marketing, Universal Music, India “We are extremely excited about this album, and Lavanya has come a long way from a radio jockey to now an established singer with a spectacular voice. In today’s day with competition amongst artists to break the clutter in the non-film space, we are thrilled that Hari Haran is going all out to support a new talent like Lavanya by not only composing music for the album but by also performing as a guest artiste on two album tracks. The album his musically rich and programmed by one of the best programmers Stephen Devassy”
Track List
1. Maahi featuring Padmashri Hariharan
2. Huzoor-E-Ala
3. Uda Uda Jayen Jiya
4. Na Ja Piya
5. Sajna Ve
6. Kudiya
7. Roop Tu Rang Tu featuring Padmashri Hariharan
Tracks 1 & 3 – Lyricist: Shakeel Azmi
Tracks 2,4,5 & 6 – Lyricist: Munna Dhiman
Track 7 – Lyricist – Mumtaz Rashid
Music – Padmashri Hariharan
Singer – Lavanya
Programming and Arrangement – Stephe
Mixed by K.J.Singh
Mastered by Donald Whelan (London)
The album ‘Maahi’ is available on both physical and digital formats, exclusively on Universal Music.
