Following the success of her independent folk EP, ‘Raahi’, and collaboration with Lost Stories and Zaeden titled ‘Noor’, singer-songwriter Akanksha Bhandari is back with her latest single, ‘Pehli Barish’. Written, composed, and performed by Akanksha, the song is an ode to the inexplicable feeling of experiencing the first rain of the season and how it becomes even more special when you are in love. 

Talking about the thought behind ‘Pehli Baarish’, Akanksha said, “This song is a result of an auto ride that I took on my way back from a recording session during Mumbai’s monsoon and my eagerness to write original songs that encapsulate my true feelings. I instantly recorded a rough melody along with the initial lines of the song, and it slowly took shape over the next few months with the help of her friend on keys.” 

Even though she had recorded the draft last year, she didn’t have any plans in place for its release. However, it was during the lockdown that she decided to explore writing as well as composing her originals, starting with this one. She onboarded the talented duo, Sarthak Nakul to help her finish it and add their magic to the production.

“It was the first rain of the lockdown that pushed me to revisit this song and work on it.  Every rainshower feels like ‘Pehli Baarish’ when you are in love. So, feel those butterflies in your stomach all over again and let your heart do the talking,” she adds. 

From marking her official debut in Bollywood with the song ‘Tere Liye’ from Namaste England in collaboration with Atif Aslam to sharing the stage with the likes of Arijit Singh, Papon, and Badshah, and receiving immense appreciation for her covers, Akanksha has quickly become one of India’s most promising voices out there.