Shashaa Tirupati’s new single explores hope and abuse

After crooning the stirring ballad Singappenney alongside AR Rahman in Atlee’s Bigil, Shashaa Tirupati is back with yet another song that centers on a woman’s experiences. Her recently released single titled Oceans Rained comes from a personal space, Shashaa adds.

“The song is about a girl who has been emotionally abused,” she says. “It's something that I feel a lot of people can associate with. We are talking about bandages on the wall, which are walls of her mind. That is an analogy of that being her body as well. It's about how difficult it is for happiness to penetrate these walls. Having said that, she has a happy place in her mind that keeps her open and alive.”

While the song takes on a sombre theme, the vocal arrangement is full of optimism, the singer observes. “It is not actually a depressing song,” she adds. “The dynamics of the arrangement is filled with hope.” The independent music scene enables her to express a new side of herself, the singer points out.

“I love singing for films, but there is also another side of me that has a lot to say,” Shashaa notes. “There are a lot of experiences I want to talk about and there are a lot of lives I want to touch with my personal experiences. These may or may not come across through my film songs. You sing a film song for the composer and thereby you are singing someone else's words.”

Film songs come with a different kind of responsibility, Shashaa adds. Singappenney was one such memorable experience for the singer. “Working with Rahman sir every time is a fresh experience,” says. “I am still star-struck when I see him. It is incredible to be working with him. With him, you push the boundaries and never know what to expect. Singappenney is just what it stands for. And for them to have me on board for the video is amazing.”