Indian rapper, singer-songwriter and music producer Badshah has simply launched his new album “Ek Tha Raja” (actually, there was a king).

It’s the third studio album for the musician who was born Aditya Prateek Singh Sisodia and is called Badshah, after “ONE (Authentic By no means Ends)” (2018) and “The Energy of Goals of a Child” (2020). He additionally has quite a few hit singles to his credit score and has contributed to a number of Bollywood soundtracks together with “Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania” (2014), “Khandaani Shafakhana” (2019), the place he additionally made his appearing debut taking part in a music celebrity, and “Jawan” (2023), starring Bollywood celebrity Shah Rukh Khan.

It’s Khan who narrates the album’s announcement video, a four-minute cinematic movie replete with armed gangsters, choppers, personal planes and palatial mansions. Badshah approached Khan’s administration on the final minute with the narration request. “The subsequent day I bought a half-hour lengthy file with these seven dialogues spoken in numerous feelings and that day I came upon why Shah Rukh Khan is Shah Rukh Khan as a result of as soon as he’s in it, he provides his 200% and he’s simply so type. All these issues that you just’ve heard about him are true,” Badshah instructed Selection.

In “Ek Tha Raja,” Badshah, who’s with the Common Music Group, performs with a number of visitor musicians, together with Morocco’s Draganov, Canada’s Nora Fatehi and a plethora of Indian acts together with Karan Aujla, Hiten, Divine, Nikhita Gandhi, Raftaar, Aastha Gill, Seedhe Maut, Kr$na, Prajina, Shai, MC Stan, Mehar Vaani, Ikka, Dino James, Fotty Seven, Raga and Sharvi Yadav. He additionally duets with Arijit Singh, arguably the preferred Bollywood singer at this time, on the observe “Soulmate.”

“I used to be actually enthusiastic about working with Arijit Singh as a result of he’s somebody I’ve regarded as much as. And, greater than that, I used to be simply pleased to be in his firm and study numerous issues from him. As a result of, he for me is sort of a larger energy,” Badshah mentioned. “I composed and wrote the lyrics for the track and despatched it to him. When it got here again, it was a special track. I used to be actually crying listening to my composition in his voice. That was an nearly supernatural catharsis.”

Badshah says that he was enthusiastic about working with all of the visitor artists on the album. “I’ve labored with them prior to now, however that was their house. So, this time I used to be like, I’ve a beat, I’ve one thing that I would love you to get on. It’s how I imagined see all of them in my universe,” Badshah mentioned.

The universe of “Ek Tha Raja” is a retrospective look by Badshah on the decade that he has been within the enterprise and it celebrates a welter of feelings, together with happiness, disappointment, love, rage and frustration that he skilled as an artist. “I take into account myself as a listener as properly, and I might really feel the era change. I used to be looking for my very own self, my very own character, my new sound, the path the place I wish to go the, the narrative that I wish to construct myself, the tales that I wish to inform, and therefore, it [“Ek Tha Raja”] was the results of all this contemplation,” Badshah mentioned.

Badshah says that as a part of the generational change that he skilled, he felt the sounds, tales and mindsets change as properly, and initially he tried to vary himself. “Then I simply realized, folks wish to take heed to who I’m. And other people love me the way in which I’m. So, I don’t want to vary. And that’s what I did with this album, I’ve collaborated with among the new artists who’re doing actually good work. I’ve moved out of my zone, I made them transfer out of their zones, we’ve are available a center place and tried to create a brand new sound. And that’s the enjoyable of a collaboration. When two songs collide, it’s like two colours combining to make a brand new colour,” Badshah mentioned.

A type of artists who begin work on their new album whilst the present one is being launched, Badshah is discovering the sound for his subsequent outing. And whereas that’s percolating, he’ll embark upon the The Paagal Tour 2024 with concert events throughout Toronto (Could 31), Vancouver (June 1), San Francisco (June 7), Houston (June 8), Dallas (June 9)  and New Jersey (June 15) with dates for Singapore, Washington DC, Los Angeles and Netherlands to be introduced imminently. This follows a sold-out 10-city tour throughout India.

In addition to the “Ek Tha Raja” tracks, the live performance playlist contains his previous hits “Jugnu,” “Paani Paani,” “Garmi,” “DJ Waale Babu,” “Lets Nacho,” “Kala Chashma,” “Kar Gayi Chull,” “Genda Phool,” “Abhi Toh Social gathering Shuru Hui Hai” and “Paagal.”

“I present them with time. And that is what I maintain saying, there’s a lot stress in folks’s lives. And after they come to my live performance, they neglect all the pieces and so they immerse themselves into simply enjoyable and leisure. Perhaps they like me, possibly they adore me, once I work together with them I really feel a lot love. I’m like this cousin who begins the get together,” Badshah mentioned.

“Ek Tha Raja” is launched by the Common Music Group.

Shah Rukh Khan narrates the teaser video for Badshah’s ‘Ek Tha Raja’ album.