Top Indian Songs of the week 28th June 2026

1. Nee Enbathey

Vocals: Pravin Saivi & Maalavika Sundar

Lyrics: Ahamed Shyam and Pravin Saivi

Composed, Arranged and Produced by Pravin Saivi

Language: Tamil

Genre: Soul/Pop

Mood: Romance

I have written about some music compositions by Pravin Saivi and, just like my expectations, within seconds of this song’s intro, I know this is high-quality stuff. Pravin and Maalavika Sundar start singing in harmony but at different pitches, making it sound like I am standing on the ground and soaring in the air at the same time. Vocal arrangements and production like this immediately tell you volumes about the musician’s abilities. Pravin sings, composes, arranges, and produces this stunning song, and when you have teh right teammate in Maalavika, half the job is already done. How does Maalavika hit these notes with such grace and efficiency, singing in Alto-Contralto style? We have Pravin’s rhythm guitar following along, but the ears keep looking for some amazing nuances where the two amazing vocalists shift Octaves as Pravin goes for the lower register and Maalavika goes high , in between the verse. 

“Munjenmame thodarum naatkale“ is one phrase, and roles reverse at “Mudhale Mudive”. We get a beautiful and light interlude on the acoustic guitar by Pravin, making the feelings of romance intensify like how a Maestro Ilaiyaraja guitar interlude would say in millions of his songs. “Kaalai megamo Saaalai oramo thevadhai veedhiyil pogumo,” written by Ahamed Shyam and Pravin, paints a wholesome picture, and the vocals and notes bring that scene to life. The vocals have a new twist in arrangement now, as Maalavika moves from harmonising to singing with a lag “karaiyai vilagiye” and then soon joins Pravin back to sing “alaigal theyadhanbe” together. These are terrific experiments that work brilliantly.

The melody has a seismic shift, “adiye amudhe unai naan yendhave,” with Malaavika digressing and going into a Carnatic aalap mode, which is giving me goosebumps. Derick McArthur is the bassist, and we can hear Ramya Ram singing as a backing vocalist towards the end. Pravin interjects with a brief and sultry lead guitar solo, also playing some counterpoints towards the outro.  My mind quickly travels to the earth- shattering number “My Endless Love” by Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Roshan Sebastian. 

@supernovarecords @roshansebastian @ahamedshyam @ramyaramofficial @parvinsaivi @sundarmaalavika @derickmcarthur 

2. …Vinara Vinara

Music composed, arranged and produced by Devi Sri Prasad.

Lyrics: Sreemani

Vocals: Sinduri Vishal

Language: Telugu

Mood: Inspiring

Genre: Folk-Pop

This is probably Devi Sri Prasad’s (DSP)best song in years. The intro on keys feels like the faint sound of a violin or, even better, a Kottankuchi, but that nice melody apart, we get small packets of magic when the Piano hits you, and these intermittent chords are elevating. KP is the keyboardist, and he deserves an ovation, but let's not forget the man in charge, DSP, who has created a cracker of a song. Singeetham Sreenivasa Rao has for decades collaborated with Maestro Ilaiyaraja, so I am happy that DSP has internalised his hero’s musical sensibilities into this one. The gentle but folkish beats, thanks to Kalyan, take us back into the rural hinterlands of the Deccan region. 

Sinduri Vishal is unstoppable with her raw tone, and it looks like the song is tailor-made for her. Where she excels is in the way she can alter gears and sound sweet and innocent as well, and that is precisely what she does in the song’s Anupallavi. My favourite line is “Maa Manchi Kureti Devathaa, Shailajam Mari Kadaa”, and I would just stand up and bow to DSP for this melodic phrase. It literally gave me goosebumps. It took me to some masterpiece like “Sriranga Ranganathin” by Maestro Ilaiyaraja. Sinduri’s voice and execution of these high-pitched notes are just breathtaking. Maybe that is why the melody has traces of Hamsadwani Ragam.

The melody continues to mesmerise in the charanam “ Mattilona Pasidipaina Vaadi Kannepaddadi Aa Velana”, but DSP springs a dramatic surprise in the subsequent phrase as the melody turns into something suspenseful, energetic and mysterious, unlike anything we have heard so far in the song. This kind of experimental shift need not work, but here it somehow does, and kudos to DSP for trying it and landing it nice and soft. “Nelane Ammalaga Nammi Neekemi Laabham”, with backing vocalists in harmony, is the line I am talking about. 

@singersinduri @thisisdsp @nag_ashwin @singeethamsrinivasa @nivethapethuraj @vyjayanthimusic @divomusicofficial @shreelyricist 

3. Thoduvaanathil

Vocals: Sooraj Santhosh

Lyrics: Muthamil

Music composed, arranged and produced by Bharath Sankar.

Additional Music Production: Surya Hanumath & Akilesh Ar

Language: Tamil

Genre: Pop

Mood: Romance

If I have one complaint about this song, it is that the whistle in the intro went on for a little longer than I would have loved, especially because it kept playing the same notes on repeat. But the moment we have Sooraj Santhosh singing the lines, we feel a rush of blood to the head. My favourite moment is when he sings “ Oru Murai thaan thirumbigurai, pala nodikal baathithaaye” with pauses that work effectively, and the piano and bass by Bharath Sankar are absolutely stunning. From here on, this song sounds like a dream, where you reach for the stars, thanks to a lovely composition and some beautiful arrangements by Bharath. This is a composer I have always been keen on listening to and, when such a talented bloke gets a project, they kill it, irrespective of the banner, money and popularity associated with it. VK is the guitarist, and he accompanies with his lead right through. 

The chorus segment gets you up and motivated, and we get some nice backing vocal support too from Bharath. The additional Music production is by Surya Hanumanth & Akilesh Ar, and Muthamil pens the lyrics. The musicality is rich, and Bharath writes a mesmerising interlude with Violins and Violas that validate this. Who else but Rithu Vysakh could torment you with strings like these? There are layers and counterpoints, and I guarantee that this interlude will be the portion you replay multiple times, to observe, appreciate and enjoy. The melody also includes the song’s pallavi notes, but subsequently we get such ethereal writing, and Rithu executes it to perfection. During the charanam, we get some bombastic basslines, and Bharath proves that pauses are essential too.

One of my favourite parts of the song is in the charanam as Sooraj sings “ Karai thedum kadhal…kilai yeri thaava.. uravodu nanum, unathaagi poga”, thanks to Muthamil’s heartfelt words and Sooraj’s delivery. I love how in the outro, as we have Sooraj and Bharath singing “Thoduvaanthail..”, we hear only the strong Piano, as all rhythms and guitars vanish. Abin Ponnachan is the recording engineer, and the tracks are mixed and mastered by Balu Thankachan. 

@bharathsankar @muthamil_rms @soorajsanthosh @thebaluthankachan @rsquared_7 @suryahanumath @rithuvysakh

4. Sad Songs for A Sunday

Vocals: Smiti Malik

Written and composed by Smiti Malik

Music Produced by Ritwik De

Language: English

Genre: Pop

Mood: Mild Pathos

Smiti Malik’s new EP is out, titled “Sad Songs for A Sunday”, and here is the title track, which absolutely sparked up on Sunday. I am excited to listen to the whole EP subsequently because Smiti has got a cracker of a voice, and her songwriting feels like a walk in the clouds, uplifting and impactful. She sings, writes the lyrics, and composes the melody for this, and with every new note and word, my heart just simultaneously feels the joy of hearing something beautiful and heavy from the inherent pathos and words. Ritwik De is on guitar duty, and boy does he pluck parts of your mind when he works his fingers on the strings. I can hear his fingers move, and the sound of that just picks me out of desolation. 

Smiti’s words show that the protagonist is pretty much sorted, singing “ I won't wanna be your keeper, or that game on your phone, when you’re all alone”. With some fine minimal production, things are clear, and thoughts are loud and can be heard. Ritwik is also the bassist and music producer for this, and collectively, the songwriting and arrangements make an impact. As the verse and chorus come to an end, the strings section is introduced, and the guitar strumming becomes more cheerful. The backing vocal layer just works perfectly in enhancing the power of these words ”You give too much away”. Melodically, the song truly feels powerful when she sings “Where you end is where you begin”, adding some enjoyable bits of vibrato. 

The basslines are stunning , and no longer quiet as we hear this fantastic phrase ” Sad Songs are quiet, they don't need a riot”. The bridge section feels like a dedication and toast to all things the society may look down on, with Smiti singing her lungs out as we hear “ raise a glass to tired jokes, second hand smoke”. Ritwik joins as the backing vocalist; he is also the mixing engineer. 

5. Maaye

Written and Performed by Mysore Xpress

Vocals: Vijeth Urs

Language: Kannada

Genre: Rock

Mood: Immersive

I have featured and loved Mysore Xpress, but I must confess that this is easily one of their best releases so far. Vijeth Urs is the front man, and after his brief opening line, Samrudh makes you surrender to the pristine beauty of the flute solo. There is eloquence and style written all over this ravishing solo, and equally charming is Vijeth’s falsetto as he sings “Maaye”. The rock flavour bursts onto the scene with Raghunandan's electric guitar accompaniment and Harshith’s presence of drums. This is not just unidimensional Western rock music; Mysore Xpress, as always, adds semi-classical or folkish Indian tonalities too. We can hear the Konnakkol in the background. 

That interlude on the flute solo, just like it did in the intro, comes with exciting Keys and bass lines too, with Zubin Paul as the keyboardist and Pramod as the bassist.  When we get to the chorus line, the pauses between phrases are beautifully filled by Keys and the Jathis. It is not done yet, as Ragunandan sizzles with the lead guitar solo towards the end, giving goosebumps. s @We move into some blistering heavy metal zone in the interlude, Mysore Xpress deliver the best outro, bringing all these amazing elements like harmonies, Keys, bass, lead guitar, and drums , some vocalisation by Vijeth altogether.

@mysore_xpress @zubinpaulofficial @somerudh_srinivas @bassxmonk @psyntist @vijethurs @raxzman @swaraj._

6. Madhubala

Written and Performed by Sanskari

Vocals: Dheeraj Anshu K

Language: Telugu

Genre: Alt-Pop

Mood: Romantic

Funky and absolutely sets the mercury rising, as we get the intro guitar solo by Ch A Karthik, and Sanskari breaks all the Telugu music styles and gives us something global. This band, Sanskari, has been featured by me before, and so I am not surprised by what they create and bring to the table. The tempo is irresistible, and Pallay Cyrus Sudhir is devastatingly good, keeping me hooked. Dheeraj Anshu K is the band’s frontman and is sensational from the start, giving off those romantic vibes at ease, thanks to the tone. The singing just elevates into something deep, personal when he sings “Naa Kosam Nuvve, Antu Tirigaani vinte”, and we constantly keep hearing those belligerent basslines by Joshua Sylvester. 

The heart is full of joy, and you can feel the lover singing “naake o madhubala”, and we get a fine interlude on keys once this chorus segment is over. This took me back to Maestro Ilaiyaraja’s great works in Telugu cinema. Sanskari is truly taking Telugu indie music to the next level at a time when music in this space is losing out to the popular yet relatively loud and stale film music. You could say I am rooting for these guys, Sanskari, to make it big, with quality over quantity. We get some stylish harmonies, and the chorus of the song gets a choral rendition this time, as Dheeraj, Cyrus, Joshua, and Karthik turn backing vocalists. 

The “Nee Kosam O Madhubala,” with the accompanying guitars, drums, and bass, followed by choral humming, is a catchy bit that keeps playing on a loop. As most would suspect, the intentions of the female character, Madhubala, come through in her words, and she keeps changing the guy's name to Hasini, Jessy, and maybe someone else tomorrow. This funny moment is dealt with a groovy solo on the lead guitar, and once again, Dheeraj confirms that it is all for his love, Madhubala. The singing reaches such ethereal heights thanks to the high-pitched delivery and fine vocalisation. Kruti Vangala joins as a backing vocalist. 

@band.sanskari @mediokrithi @karthik_ch_a @rony_cyrus @dheerajsingslovesongs

7. Yarilla Yarilla

Rap written and performed by All Ok.

Music composed, arranged and produced by Santhosh Narayanan.

Additional prog by Jack Michael  

Language: Kannada

Genre: Hip Hop

Mood: Groovy

I have always believed that not many can produce and create Hip Hop and all of its alternate versions like Santhosh Narayanan in the Indian music scene. All Ok has been featured by me, and when there is a regional film, nothing works like picking a locally popular artist, and that is why All ok sounds imposing and emphatic with his rap lines and delivery. This track probably works even better in a stylish sequence as a BGM track in this new Kannada movie “Balaramana Dinagalu”. 

This is not an energetic, brisk-paced track; rather, the tempo is slow and feels like a soul-hip-hop fusion number that is more about style than aggression. Santhosh introduces the brass section, and these trumpets come and go at the right time, making the track smooth, suave and sultry. Listen to the trumpets intervening as soon as the “Yarilla Yarilla” chorus segment is done. There is a layer of female vocal humming in the sopranos, which kind of keeps the number intriguing. Santhosh also joins as a backing vocalist, and collectively all elements work beautifully in tandem. Jack Michael is the additional programmer working on this track. 

@musicsanthosh @all_ok_official @bujjjjii @vinod_prabhaakarofficial 

8. Tijori

Vocals: Trishita Recs

Written and Composed by Trishita Recs

Music Produced by atononmymind and saintsoul

Additional production by Sakar Apte

Language: Hindi

Genre: R&B

Mood: Romance

It has been a while since I heard Trishita Recs, but like they say, “ it was worth the wait”. A singer blessed with a capable voice, she goes on to serenade you with her sultry vocals and delivery, and when you have an R&B number like this, it just begins to raise the mercury level. We have just some mild rhythm guitars in support, and basic rhythm programming as well. “Jahaan Jaahaan tera tikana” she sings with such impeccable control, and “wahaan wahaan tera khazana” is a way of displaying her ability to perform vibrato. Singing is about emotive perfection as well, and when it matches teh words, it is something else, like how mellowed and mysterious and soft she sounds when she utters the word “raaz”. 

antononmymind and saintsould are the music producers who have done a nice job, deciding perfectly well when to be minimal, and the harmonies in the post-chorus and interlude segments are examples. All the additional production is by Sakar Apte, who has also done the mixing and mastering of the tracks. Trishita is all aces as the vocalist, lyricist and composer for this soothing, sensual song. Yaashasvii Ddasane is teh recording engineer at TAG Institute. 

@trishitarecs @sakarapte @yaashasviiddasane