by Asjad Nazir.
‘It's a wedding song to break down barriers'.
EARLIER this year, new music act 2 Tricky Project released perhaps the wedding anthem of the year with their great debut single Marry You.
The English-language number with a Bollywood vibe is the first step in the music journey for the duo, acclaimed songwriter/producer Niall Flynn and broadcaster/composer Malook
Singh, who teamed up 25 years after their first meeting as assistant sound engineers working for the legendary Trevor Horn.
They teamed up with singer Manuka and percussionist Guzby Music for the single Marry You, which has a wonderful clay animation music video.
Eastern Eye caught up with 2 Tricky Project to find out more.
What inspired the 2 Tricky Project name?
The name had to be fun, happy and cheeky as it had to represent our characters and the concept of making fusion music happier and more commercial.
What led you towards the single Marry You?
Marry You was originally going to be just a straight pop song, but we felt it would be good to have a Bollywood vibe and that it could be a song to break down barriers. We felt it
could embrace diversity, so it’s a song for every wedding and could be a wedding
anthem for the future.
Tell us a little more about the song?
Marry You lyrically is a song about most aspects of a marriage. It’s about a couple who, after many years of being together, want to get married. The verses reflect on the joys
and sorrows of a marriage, but in a positive way.
How did you cross paths with Manuka?
We had been looking for a singer and by chance, Malook had seen Manuka performing
in a restaurant with just a guitar, straight from the heart, to a multicultural audience from all walks of life. Manuka was singing both English and Indian songs. Her voice was amazing.
What was the biggest challenge of putting the song together?
By far the biggest challenge was the number of tracks it had once the mixing started. There were 57 backing vocal parts, nine lead vocal parts and the rest were drums, percussion, bass and music, totalling 101 tracks to mix. That was a big challenge. It took 17 mixes over 30 days to get the track right.
Who are you hoping connects with the song?
We hope that Marry You represents the way society and culture is now. Bollywood is enjoyed by millions, yet only understood lyrically if you speak Hindi. Marry You has English lyrics, so the Bollywood experience can be enjoyed by everyone. The track could be a wedding anthem for mixed marriages and equally for any marriage with a Bollywood theme.
What can we expect next from you?
2 Tricky Project and Manuka are putting together a band for some shows. We are also working on few other tracks, which are currently being written. Manuka will be featured on a couple of tracks, but other songs will feature new singers too. We believe there are other talented singers like Manuka out there, who need to be heard. We want to find singers who are passionate about music, writing and performing.
Finally, why should we pick up Marry You?
It is a song for life. It’s diverse in all aspects, including the music and video. It brings people of all backgrounds together by having English lyrics on a Bollywood groove. It makes you smile and want to be happy and of course, it makes you want to get married too.
- Marry You is out now. Visit Instagram, Twitter and Facebook: @2trickyproject
UK China film collaborations take off as Third Shanghai London Forum connects British Asian filmmakers with Chinese studios Instagram/ukchinafilm 
