Shibani Kashyap, the Sajna Aa Bhi Jaa and Zinda singer-composer is on a reinvention mode. The lady is busy working on her new album Free Spirit, which according to her is vastly different from her previous work. Besides the usual singing and composing, Shibani has also taken belly dancing lessons for the music video. CS got her talking:



Shaking a leg
The main song of the album has a very Turkish feel to it. I have a band of Turkish musicians performing with me, and my dance moves in the video are similar to belly dancing. So, I decided to take up belly dancing classes. My Uzbeki instructor Madina has also choreographed the song. Belly dancing is a lot of fun and a great way to lose weight. You have to master the breathing techniques before you learn the actual dance. Since I practise yoga regularly, it wasn't so tough.

Makeover album
Free Spirit is a little different from my other albums, which were essentially jazz and rock. I have explored other genres like Latino, R&B, Sufi rock and disco in this album. It also has a soft melodious number. The songs are composed by Justin-Uday and the video is shot by Sanjay Gupta in Diu. Till now, I had been associated with dark songs in thriller movies, but this album is a celebration of life.

Concert queen
I do concerts almost six months in a year in India as well as abroad. As an artist, there's no bigger appreciation than an instant response from a live audience. The crowds in India give fantastic energy to any artist. I'll concentrate on playback once I cut down on my shows.

Artists I love
The list is endless. I adored MJ as a performer, while Abida Parveen has superb vocals. I love Sting, Asha Bhonsale and late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. In Bollywood, I like the soul stirring quality of Hariharan's voice while Sunidhi Chauhan's versatility is amazing. I also listen to a lot of John Mayer, Beatles and Stevie Wonder.

WHO: Shibani Kashyapu00a0
WHAT: Shows us some belly dance movesu00a0
WHERE: At her residence in Lokhandwala, Andheri