Annural Khalid, Burrah talk about their cross-border collaboration ‘Mumtaaz’

Mumtaaz, a Cross-border Ballad

Indian singer Burrah and Pakistani pop singer Annural Khalid teamed up for a love ballad called ‘Mumtaaz’ and recently opened up about the track and working together in an interview with Rolling Stone India.
Khalid spoke about her affinity for “sad love songs”, particularly those about “unfinished, unreciprocated love”. “We both turned out to be sadbois from within,” the singer added with a chuckle.
Burrah revealed that he had been a fan of Khalid’s since her hit Coke Studio song ‘Jhol’, which she sang with Lahori rapper and singer Maanu.
“It helps when you’re working with someone you’re a fan of. Then, you enter with your ego diminished, both of you are reciprocative to each other’s ideas and there’s an unconditionality there,” the Indian singer said about finding common ground with Khalid.
According to Rolling Stone India, ‘Mumtaaz’ came together at composer-producer Sunny MR’s studio in Mumbai during a songwriting camp organised by Warner Music India for Burrah’s upcoming album. The singer called on his frequent collaborator Youngveer to help with the track.
“Everyone came in the room and saw how this desolate-looking room had come to life with our song, in just 15 minutes. There were five or six people just dancing to the song by the end of it, so we knew it was a great song we had to make,” Burrah said.
Khalid, meanwhile, related to the song’s message when she received its demo version. “Everybody’s energies made this track so special,” she said.
She added that the idea of unrequited love helped break the ice between the two singers. “This was very mutual and it all came naturally. Neither of us have egos like that, that also helped,” she said.
Having Khalid on board made Burrah explore “more angles” to the song, including themes of Partition.
“In the first draft before Annural hopped on, it was a very therapeutical coping sort of song. I was just trying to process my own sort of heartbreak. I think I hit a wall somewhere in the making of the song. I felt like it was trapped in my ego. When Annural came in, I had a wake-up moment. I thought, ‘Let’s just make the story about heartbreak in Punjab’,” he said.
Burrah visualised a story of lovers torn apart by the Partition and due to “circumstances beyond their control.
In the near future, Khalid has more collaborations lined up with other Indian artists as well as her solo album, which has been in the works for over a year. “There’s no point in overthinking it –– the more you overthink, the more it stays with you,” she said.
Burrah, on the other hand, has a “very big LP” releasing next year. In 2025, the singer will drop an EP in April, which he said is “a deeper, slightly more vulnerable experience with me as an artist.” Images