Vijayalakshmi Narayanan

A former contestant in Indian Idol Season 10 and Zee Marathi Idea Saregamapa L'il Champs Season 1, young singer cum musician Avanti Patel celebrates love across gender identities with a classical thumri in 'Saiyaan Bina'.

Produced by Anshuman Sharma, the track is an amalgamation of two ragas which represent contrasting emotions. It marks Patel's debut as a singer/songwriter and musician. Accompanied with a beautifully aesthetic video animated by her friend Apu Dutta, who came out recently as a transmasc, 'Saiyaan Bina' reflects upon love and longing between two individuals.

Patel hopes to generate further awareness about Hindustani Classical, a genre that she is passionate about, amongst the younger, millennial audiences of today. She wants to make it more accessible for listeners through modern, inclusive representation which would reflect across the songwriting and composition of her songs.

'Saiyaan Bina' is now streaming on Radio City Freedom.