In an interview with the Deccan Chronicle, Burrah talks about his debut EP, “I felt lost, like I was living a life that wasn’t truly mine, just something expected of me. Letting Go is my journey back to myself. Each track represents a moment of release, heartbreak, reflection, and finally, freedom. It’s about shedding the layers, embracing who I really am, and no longer pretending. This EP is more than music, it’s me stepping into my truth.” After his extremely wide and diverse career as a screenwriter, musician and his stints across multiple musical stages such as MTV Hustle 3.0 and Coke Studio Bharat – the artist has finally released his first record, Letting Go.
In an ethereal-dreamscape sounding teaser on YouTube, as Burrah sits and walks through the gossamers of mountainous landscape, the description reads, “I always felt the pressure of being consistent on social media platforms as an artist, because my past work during TVF, making content for people, entertaining the masses and programming and conditioning always made me feel a sense of lacking towards my art. That maybe I’m not feeding the system enough. Maybe I’m not relevant enough. But when I wanted to post my first EP, I wanted to take my time. I wanted it to time itself. I wanted to nurture it till it was ready to walk on it’s own, like a mother does to her young cub. Art is nourishment, art is embracing, art is god.
I have taken my sweet time, I’ve taken everything that this piece of art asked me to do and I have done it. Nature, maharaj ji, god, undisclosed forces drive such releases. Because I feel I had no control, all I was doing was just serving these songs.
Now this teaser shows you a glimpse of the visual story for the 3 tracks that are about to come in this EP. Thank you for loving me. If you are reading it this far, means you care about my art, you have waited for me, you somewhere feel for me and believe in me.
This is for you only. Like a farmer doesn’t control the crop but waits and nurtures the act of nature. This yield is only for you.”
The record’s ethos, therefore, is clear – a form of artistic liberation through personal skepticism and reconciliation with one’s own art. The three songs feature Zero Chill, Jizzy, and GNDHI – combining Punjabi pop with slight R&B notes. One of the most interesting numbers on this project is the last track, Khuli Hawa – which feels like the sense of freedom that Burrah has been working to establish. It also sounds like a loosened grip and the chorus with children singing is reminiscent of 2000s post liberalization pop sounds and it works, because after all – the artist is all about letting go, on this project. The project has solid textures, using pop mechanics and packing voice and volume : Jizzy’s verse on Je Tu Hundi Naal is solid, and works with Burrah’s own artistry. For the most part, Burrah’s songwriting is succinct, direct, and simplistic – he is not hiding behind convolutions. His message, and his niche for himself is clearly earmarked in his mind. It also helps that the artist has a stunning, gravelly voice that complements the kind of songs that he is aiming to produce and create.
The qualm I perhaps have with this record, is its brevity. While the central emotional core promises an expansive, deep unleashing, the three song stretch is not enough to elaborate or establish what the artist is going for. This is not to say that the songs are unlistenable or fall short on their own — but a few more tracks, with more playing field into breaking the Punjabi pop safety-coccoon would perhaps serve stronger for his message. It almost turns out to be unjust to one’s creativity, if there is such constriction of time. It is not like Burrah cannot achieve a more stretched out, dimensional record – it would be brilliant if he just did.
