Music composers Salim-Sulaiman talk about their bonding

They’ve been together since 1997 and have managed to create tunes that have stayed on. And even now, brothers and composer duo Salim-Sulaiman are brimming with the enthusiasm they shared when they started off in the industry. Apart from the Bollywood films they are working on, they also have some international collaborations to their credit.

This time around, it’s got to do with the much talked about singer Lady Gaga. “Born This Way has been topping the charts across 21 countries and her fans are raving about it. We have worked on the Indian version of that number,” informs Salim, adding, “Lady Gaga has heard the number and is quite excited with the way it’s turned out.” Undoubtedly, working on Born... was quite a challenge considering that the maverick singer’s style needed to be kept in mind. “Her in-your-face attitude and style was something we couldn’t overlook. Both Sulaiman and I were sure about the kind of sound we wanted on this one,” he states.

Apart from this, they have also worked on a Rajasthani version of Judas. “We required a sound that would work with the Western audience, and so decided to rope in sarangi player Sabir Khan as well. We have also got Indian Idol contestant Swaroop Khan to be a part of this project,” Salim states, adding, “We composed an Indian hook to go along with Gaga’s vocals for The Desert Mix.”

However, with the singer’s probable trip to India making news, Salim says he is still unsure of being able to meet her here. “We haven’t got any intimation from her office as yet; but if she’s in India, we hope to be able to meet her.”

Over the years, Salim believes that the duo’s music has developed a distinct style that listeners have become accustomed to. “I think that’s because we’ve created a sound of our own and even though people expect the same sort of sound from us always, we do tend to experiment. That keeps the novelty alive,” he says.