MUMBAI: The Delhi-hailing, San Francisco-based singer Devika who gave us the memorable songs such as Kehnde Ne Naina, Barkhaa Bahaar & Ek Tera Pyaar (with Bohemia) is back with an electro-rock Punjabi video single Kalli Kalli Raati.  The raspy-voiced singer is known for the old-world charm her renditions carry along with her spirited collaborations with a variety of artists.

After a well-received lo-fi number Dil Tenu which was released earlier this year, Devika switches gears onto a dark and feisty vibe in Kalli Kalli Raati.  Translating literally to ‘dark and lonely night’ from punjabi, Devika in Kalli Kalli Raati, makes a nocturnal plea to the sound of grainy electric guitar riffs. ‘Kalli Kalli Raati Mainu Chhad Ke Na Jaayeen, Chheti Chheti Aaja Ghar Maahi ve…’ calling out to the one she loves, asking him to come back home and not leave her alone in the dark.  As the grief, anger and angst are conveyed over dynamic, joyful sound, the Sufi-Punjabi song quickly transforms into a rock ditty.  The track comes with an infectious groove and livewire vocals that make it a perfect fit for the season.

The intrigue and mystery along with the rich visuals of the video complement the audio beautifully. The video was shot in Los Angeles, California, US, where the Grammy-Submitted artist appears in a yet unseen avatar both sonically and visually. 

The video opens with Devika playing the ‘mysterious, dark and lonely’ metaphor to the T,  in  a rich all-black ensemble against a pitch-black backdrop, until the beat kicks in and the video moves out of the darkness into light where we see Devika in a luscious red dress wandering in a sharply contrasting setting of a vast desert wilderness.

Inspired from her cross-genre palette of Punjabi, Sufi, Ghazal and Folk music clubbed with production elements drawn from contemporary pop, Devika stands out for her treatment of punjabi language based music as well as her unique voice texture.

  Beyond her two solo albums, she has collaborated with the likes of Amaan & Ayaan Ali Bangash, Homes Ives, Mike Klooster of Smash Mouth and  Punjabi Rapper Bohemia on many of his top-charting hits . She is also the first Indian vocalist to be featured on Apple’s iMovie in the Bollywood trailer. Her tracks have been featured on Buddha Bar, official iTunes, and Spotify playlists.