Souls, one of Bangladesh's most beloved bands, is celebrating their golden jubilee, marking the 50th anniversary of their inception. To commemorate this milestone, the band has released a special song titled 'Kita Baisab Balani', a popular folk tune originating from the Sylhet region of Bangladesh.
The song has been beautifully rendered by Chittagong-born Partha Barua, a member of the band. "A few days ago, we unveiled the new logo for the band to mark the completion of our 50-year journey," said Barua. "We had announced then that besides releasing 50 songs sequentially, we also have a series of special events planned. This Sylheti song is the commencement of that journey."
He further added that the band would continue to publish songs on the Souls' page consecutively. Along with original songs, they will also make an effort to revive and feature popular folk songs.
In cases where the lyricist, composer, or artist of an old song cannot be identified, the song is usually labelled as 'collected'. However, Souls have broken that convention with 'Kita Baisab Balani' and have embarked on a quest to find the creator of this song.
Souls have breathed new life into the song with their music arrangement. This is the first time in their 50-year history that the band has ventured outside Chittagong to showcase a regional song from a different area.
Three days after the studio version of the song was released on Facebook on June 28, the lyricist and artist were found. The song was traced back to Wahidur Rahman Khan, a renowned Baul (folk) singer from the Bianibazar region of Sylhet. The confirmation came from the late singer's offspring, who is currently residing in the United States. This discovery allows Souls to honor the original artist while sharing the beauty of this regional song with a larger audience, encapsulating their commitment to enriching Bangladesh's musical tapestry.
