Leslee Lewis, who introduced Asha Bhosle’s songs to the ’90s listeners with ‘Rahul & I’, recalls how the singer’s versatility across the decades was a benchmark for every musician
The singer with (R) Leslee Lewis. Pic/Instagram
Some voices are heard, and some, felt. Asha Bhosle was always felt. She had that rare gift of turning every song into a lived emotion. For all of us in music, she was a benchmark we measured ourselves against. Not just for her range or versatility, but for her courage. She never allowed herself to be defined by one sound or era. She kept pushing boundaries.
She and Pancham da [RD Burman] were close to my father, PL Raj. I still remember the first time I met her — this was at Duke’s Retreat in Khandala. When my father told her I liked playing the guitar, she didn’t indulge me with polite praise. She simply said, ‘Music is not for everyone. Focus on your studies.’
Asha Bhosle with RD Burman. Pic/Instagram
Years later, I was approached to work on a project with Ashaji. Initially, I was hesitant, but I was told that RD Burman had wanted to recreate his old songs in a new style with me. That’s how the remix project, Rahul & I, began. The brief was simple: introduce Ashaji to a new generation.
Working with her wasn’t easy at first. She was used to a different recording style, where the voice dominated and the arrangement followed. I was [using] tighter grooves, modern production, and a new sonic space. Initially, she resisted. She even walked out at one point, saying, ‘This is not how I sing.’
Asha Bhosle. Pic/Rane Ashish
To her credit, she came back. She gave it a chance. Slowly, she began to understand that the sound was fresh and exciting.
When the album released, suddenly, Ashaji was ‘young’ again in the eyes of a new audience.
Working with Asha tai was like going to school every day. Legends like her understand the composer’s thought, and then gently elevate it without ever overpowering it.
Today, there is a sense of loss. But her music will never pause. It will keep inspiring generations. Because artistes like Ashaji don’t belong to a time — they become time itself.
As told to Mohar Basu
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