MUMBAI: Commemorating 65th year of India’s independence, music channel 9XM has taken an innovative route. The channel is celebrating the day with a special version of Vande Mataram which is sung in the Acapella style by a US based band called Penn Masala.

Comprising of students from the University of Pennsylvania, the band has recreated AR Rahman’s version of the track without the use of any musical instruments. As per the Acapella style, the band has used their vocals to emulate the sounds of the various instruments.

Speaking about the song with Radioandmusic.com, 9XM senior VP & content head Amar Tidke said, “We took around a month to come up with the idea to create something new for this Independence Day. We found Penn Masala really good and got in touch with them for this video. It is the world’s first Hindi a cappella group formed in 1996. Doing the song in the Acapella style was very tough as you have to get the sounds of the instruments through voice. But I am glad that the video has come up really well.”

The video of the track is currently available on YouTube and the channel’s facebook page as well. The song will be specially played every hour on 14-15 August.

“They have done a really good job and it was our honest approach to the entire concept which is now garnering us really good feedback. We really feel the youth can make a difference as is being witnessed by the video and the response,” added Tidke.