Would not rule it out: Leslee Lewis on Colonial Cousins reunion

Leslee also speaks about his latest single 'Entourage', composed by rapper Big O

Noted composer Leslee Lewis says that a Colonial Cousins reunion might happen somewhere down the line if things go as planned as he is still good friends with Hariharan.
The musician duo burst on the scene in 1996 with their debut album Colonial Cousins, which emerged as a 'musical blockbuster'. The soulful number Krishna, in particular, became immensely popular. Their second album The Way We Do It hit the stands in 1998, creating a buzz among music lovers. They returned after a short break with Aatma, which featured nine tracks.

Their last album Once More was released amid fanfare in 2012. The perception is that the two can still deliver the goods if they reunite for a new album.

Leslee, meanwhile, has garnered attention with his latest single Entourage which marks his first collaboration with American rapper Omar Gooding AKA Big O, and is his first major outing as a solo singer. He says that he enjoyed working on the single as it helped him reinvent himself as an artiste.


Edited excerpts from the interview with DH:

What made you take up Entourage? What was your first reaction when the offer came your way?

It felt quite special when the offer to sing in Hollywood came my way. I was a bit surprised as I am a composer. Even as part of Colonial Cousins, I was never really a solo singer. This is in a way, the fifth time that I have reinvented myself as a performer.

How different an experience was Entourage when compared to your work as part of the Colonial Cousins?

Colonial Cousin is my own band. Hariharan and I did things our way. Here things were different. There was the producer ATG and Big O. Big O sang his own way and looked after the story. I took care of the melody. So, it wasn't like two singers singing together in different styles. We have put things together and the final piece is infectious. We were comfortable with what we did.

The video talks about celebrity life. How much of it do you associate with?

I could relate to all of it. As part of Colonial Cousins, we performed all over the world and I have had my share of parties. I totally understood where he was coming from.

Do you miss the pre-stardom days?

There are two distinct sides two my personality. I enjoy travelling by business class but then I am equally comfortable travelling by rickshaw. I also enjoy chai or vada pav on the street. I have seen some of my friends miss the old days after reaching the top and are not able to connect with them as they have moved on. This, however, is not the case with me.

What is your take on remix culture?

When I started the trend with Ashaji (Asha Bhosle), I kept the essence of the song and added freshness to it, Nowadays, they are missing out on the melody. The young kids are like 'yeh chal raha toh let's add beats to it'. The beats often don't do justice to the essence of the original composition. Emotions are the same today as they were back then. It all comes down to how they project it.

Lastly, is a Colonial Cousins reunion on the cards?

I wouldn't say no. We might release a single some time down the line as we are still the best of friends.