BHĀRAT KATHĀ
​भारत कथा 

The Journey from Photo to Song

I have a story to share that started with a picture I took one evening at a fair in north India. The subject of my lens was a young girl, lost in her thoughts, something that I knew I had to capture and preserve and that ultimately inspired a haiku, a poem, and eventually, a song.

The Photo

The Haiku

Inspired by this photograph, I composed a haiku - a traditional Japanese form of poetry that captures a single moment in time. In just three lines, I tried to convey the essence of what I saw:

Navel of the Earth,

Conforming, dark, searing heat —

A gleam of diamond.

And in Hindi

धरती की नाभि

अनुरूप, अँधेरी, तपती गर्मी -

हीरे की एक किरण

The Poem

But the story didn't end there. The haiku evolved into a full-fledged poem:

A vision caught my eye, oh what a sight

The most beautiful girl in all my life

But in her land, they'd say she's not quite right

Fairness creams and lightening creams rife

But she refused to let their hate define

The way she viewed herself, oh so divine

For in her heart, a light did always shine

A glowing moonlit visage, truly fine

So let her bask in her own radiance

And shine on with her truest countenance

For beauty lies not in the colour of skin

But in the soul that lies deep within.

Going beyond the surface, the poem explored the intricacies of beauty, self-identity, and the pressures of society specifically around darker skin colour. It aimed to communicate the message that genuine beauty is not defined by one's skin color, but rather, by the inner radiance of the soul.

The Birth of "Night Jewel" the Song

From there, it was a natural for me to turn these powerful words into music. And thus, "Night Jewel" was born.

"Night Jewel" is a genre-blending fusion of Trio-Hop, the mesmerizing Sitar, and the futuristic Vocoder, creating a immersive soundscape. Beyond its innovative composition. It’s a musical journey where genres converge, poetry unfolds, and a profound story of strength and radiance emerges.

"Night Jewel" is composed, produced and mixed by Nitin Krishen at Lilian Baylis Records, London.

Mixing consultant - Michael White, California

Mastering Engineer - Michael White (Engineer- Right Track Recording Studios, Jimi Hendrix's Electric Lady Studios, Solid State Logic, Outdoor Life Network, and Sirius Satellite Radio. Over the years, he has worked on albums for Whitney Houston, James Taylor, Rolling Stones, Talking Heads, David Bowie, 3 Doors Down, and others. )

Click on the image to stream the music on your favourite music streaming service.

Update: 20 Sep 2023

Guess what, folks? The story didn't stop at the song — it's like a never-ending plot twist! Now, I'm taking it up a notch with a music video, and here's the kicker: it's got AI as its co-director! Talk about an artistic evolution that even Picasso would raise an eyebrow at. So, sit back, relax, and prepare for the saga to groove on!

Enjoy the song!

Nitin