It is only fitting that, in a career marked by versatility, Asha Bhosle‘s last act before the mic was a collaboration with a British group on an experimental India-inspired track. Just weeks before her death, Asha’s voice was heard for the last time in a new song as British group Gorillaz released their India-inspired album The Mountain (Parvat). On it is The Shadowy Light, the track that features the legendary singer in her final bow.
About The Shadowy Light, Asha Bhosle’s last song
The song brings together a unique ensemble, including Gruff Rhys, flautist Ajay Prasanna and sarod maestros Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash, blending Indian classical elements with experimental British alt-pop. The Mountain, the ninth studio album by Gorillaz, stands out for its deep engagement with Indian music and artists. Recorded in India, the album also features collaborations with sitar virtuoso Anoushka Shankar and vocalist Asha Puthli, reflecting a rich confluence of cultures and sounds.
At the time of the song’s release, Asha Bhosle said the song holds “deep meaning” for her. In a social media post, the singer said, “Visiting Varanasi and travelling along the most sacred river Ganges, observing closely what I saw, I understood the meaning of life, who I was and what I was supposed to do on earth.”
In the announcement post for the song, Asha described what the song meant to her and how it symbolised her life’s journey. “On ‘The Shadowy Light’, my crossing this deep river signifies my life’s journey… my birth, my relationships, my dedication to music, my achievements and my duties as a daughter, mother, sister, wife and a Hindu Indian. The boatman is my music, my guide across this river of life, and when I get to the other side, my journey shall be complete. I shall attain moksha (ultimate freedom) wherein I shall become one of the thousands of sounds floating all around us. If you put some of them together, they form a beautiful tune. Therefore, I shall become one of those sounds, which shall eventually become a musical note in a beautiful song which shall be heard by several generations for thousands of years. This freedom to become one with nature is what awaits me on the other side of the river.”
About Gorillaz
Gorillaz, the British group, was formed in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. Albarn is a well-known fan of 1960s and 70s Bollywood music -specifically the work of R.D. Burman, Asha’s late husband and frequent collaborator. In interviews, Albarn has praised the “psychedelic” and “experimental” nature of the tracks Bhosle recorded during the 70s.
Asha Bhosle’s death
Asha Bhosle breathed her last at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai on Sunday due to multi-organ failure. She had been hospitalised a day earlier following extreme exhaustion and a chest infection.
Born in 1933, Asha Bhosle recorded thousands of songs across multiple languages and genres, earning accolades including the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and the Padma Vibhushan. In 2011, she was recognised by Guinness World Records as the most-recorded artist in music history.
