MUMBAI: Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra released her highly anticipated debut single ‘In My City’ yesterday in Mumbai.
Chopra’s two- and- half year efforts paid off as she amply justified her unofficial tag as the ‘songstress’ of the film industry.
The English song –a club track with an infectious hook- featuring Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am is grand and easy-on-the ears. The song has catchy and simple lyrics – ‘ I know you got your own time/ I know you got your own way/ I know you got your own life/ I’m just saying come over to my place’. The album is produced by uber cool producer Red One.
Red One, who has produced for artists like Lady Gaga, shows his touch for making pop hits by giving space and making the mix uncluttered, leaving room for Chopra’s vocals to come through. He also fuses elements of Indian music and contemporary club sound well to ensure ‘In My City’ listeners where the song is coming from and yet be accepted as a global club chart hit.
Speaking at the launch, Chopra said that the album took a lot of hard work and helped her understand herself.
The song also made its debut in the US market where one-and-half minute of the track was played at the opening of the National Football League (NFL), making Chopra the first Indian ever to get a platform of that size. Chopra is set to fly to Los Angeles to shoot the video of ‘In My City’ soon.
“This is a start of a new journey and I want to learn how the West works. It’s a start as a representative of India like other regions of the world have theirs- South America has Shakira, Latin America has Jennifer Lopez- not I am saying I will be like them,” Chopra said.
To promote the album that is due to be released early 2013, Chopra may tour and perform live concerts. Though she was tight lipped about giving out details about the album, she said she has been totally involved as a writer or co-writer of the songs (expected 14 tracks) on the album. The album will contain club and pop songs with ballads. There could be an ‘Indian’ song as a surprise track, she added.
“I like to thank my family and team for making it happen. I grew up listening to music which was eclectic- my father liked Mohammed Rafi and my mother liked The Doors and Metallica. My parents got very emotional when they first heard ‘In My City’,” she said.
‘In my City’ will be available across physical and digital platforms from today on Universal Music, while Nokia India will provide with downloads from the online Nokia Store.