Nitin attended Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School and studied law at Liverpool University for a short time. He then went to London, where he met Sanjeev Bhaskar. The pair became friends and created a comedy double act, The Secret Asians, together. The show sought to turn absurdly dated Asian stereotypes on their heads. It led to a contract with BBC radio and eventually grew into the award-winning BBC TV sketch show Goodness Gracious Me.
During that time he met up with an old school friend, acid jazz keyboards-player James Taylor. He joined Taylor for a 40-date tour in as part of The James Taylor Quartet. It introduced him to the jazz club scene and provoked him into forming his own band, The Jazztones. He moved on to join forces with tabla master Talvin Singh to form the Tihai Trio and, after that collaboration ended in 1993, released his debut album, Spirit Dance on his own label. Shortly afterwards, he signed with Outcaste Records.
Sawhney's music is intensely political, commonly approaching themes of multiculturalism, empowerment, identity, immigration, poverty, and spirituality. He is active as an artist in residence for five different performing arts organisations in Europe and Asia, and along with George Martin is a patron for the British Governments Access-to-Music Program which brings music education to the inner-city students.
Sawhney's skills include classical and jazz piano and flamenco guitar. He has released six studio albums, as well as countless remixes and collaborations. After releasing Beyond Skin on London's Outcaste Records in 1999, he was signed by V2 to do six albums. His first album with the Virgin subsidiary, the millennial/apocalyptical Prophesy, in 2001 won a MOBO Award and a BBC Radio 3 Music Award.
Sawhney's music is influenced by his roots in India, utilising and featuring Urdu and Hindi lyrics, Qawwali singing, tablas and other instruments from the subcontinent, and Raga phrasings in music which is often primarily meant for the dance floor.
Sawhney's work in production and arrangement has led to his working in film and television scores. He has scored television ads for Sephora and Nike, as well as more than 25 films from his London-based Spirit Dance Studios. He was nominated for an Ivor Novello Award for Film and TV Composition in 2004 for his music on Channel Four's film, Second Generation. From there, he has begun to see acceptance from the "classical" community, and in 2004 he was commissioned by the city of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the Britten Symphonia to compose new performance works. London's Royal National Theatre invited him to write, direct, and score a work to be opened in 2005.
For photographs and additional information visit Nitin's official site, www.NitinSawhney.com
Moonrise
Nitin Sawhney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Quando eu me apagar
Vais partir da vida escura
Veja a lua
Veja a lua subindo
Tomando o seu lugar
Ondas de tristeza
Para apre
E assim um dia,
Uma novela de paz
Uma tempestade que trata as dores
Não despede um futuro
Que ainda pode ser
Os olhos no escuro
Ainda podem
Ainda podem ver
The lyrics to Nitin Sawhney’s “Moonrise” are in Portuguese, which adds to the mystique of the song. The song starts with the phrase, “Não fique triste” which in English means "don't be sad". The lyrics appear to be consoling someone who is feeling sad or maybe even grieving. The next line is “Quando eu me apagar” which means “when I disappear.” It seems that the person singing is consoling the listener by saying that when he or she is gone, they will leave the darkness of life behind and can watch the moonrise.
The chorus of the song includes the repeated phrase “Veja a lua” which means “see the moon”. The moon has always been a symbol of peace, tranquility, and hope. The singer is telling the listener to watch the moonrise and take solace in its beauty. The verses continue with the idea that even in the darkest moments of life, there is still hope for a peaceful future. “Uma novela de paz” which means “a novel of peace” is portrayed as a future possibility.
Other lines such as “Uma tempestade que trata as dores” which means “a storm that heals the pains” and “Não despede um futuro que ainda pode ser” which means "don't bid farewell to a future that can still be" reinforce the message that even though life can be challenging and difficult- there is always hope. The song is ultimately about finding hope in the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
Não fique triste
Don't be sad
Quando eu me apagar
When I fade away
Vais partir da vida escura
You'll leave the dark life behind
Veja a lua
See the moon
Veja a lua subindo
See the moon rising
Tomando o seu lugar
Taking its place
Ondas de tristeza
Waves of sadness
Para apreciar
To appreciate
E assim um dia
And one day
Uma novela de paz
A story of peace
Uma tempestade que trata as dores
A storm that heals the pain
Não despede um futuro
Does not leave a future behind
Que ainda pode ser
That can still be
Os olhos no escuro
Eyes in the dark
Ainda podem
Can still
Ainda podem ver
Can still see
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: NITIN SAWHNEY, CARLOS EDUARDO CARNEIRO DE ALBUQUERQUE FALCAO, NINA ISABELA ROCHA MIRANDA, ROGER HENRI BARROSO HUTHMACHER, MOHAMMED KHELIFATI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Barlas Beyaztaş
I don't know what circumstances gave rise to this song, but Nitin Sawhney, Cheb Mami and Nina Rocha Miranda created an opus magnum here. It is so high, it is so far, it is so heavenly what flows here from heart to heart. As everyone knows, we can't fly, but I have the feeling that I'm going to
first time in my life fly🌻🦋
redsummerwings
this is my lullaby.... i listen to this and it makes me feel peaceful, just enough to have a good sleep :))
Nina Miranda
I am blessed here to find Akram Khan dancing to my voice and that of Sheb Mami and a vast room full of musical talent.
liliapatterson
congratulations for a beautiful song.
Peter Piper Puppets
you are blessed , ? We are blessed to have your wonderful talent . I love this music, this song, my first Niten album Prophecy , I almost wore it out . & I humbly admit to only discovering who you were today , underwater love is another of my favourite chillout songs. keep being blessed.
Mauro Costa
acabo de atar nudos y me he dado cuenta que tu eres la (increible) voz de uno de mis temas favoritos y de uno de mis grupos favoritos...
Sophia loves you
Beautiful song <3
xander1430
I thought Cheb Mami's voice sounded realy familiar and when I searched through Sting's song Desert Rose, Cheb Mami's name is there - he sang the arabic part of Desert Rose! Bingo! His voice is hypnotic.
Rocío García
Love it!! ♪♫♪♫
T. Khosla
Yes, Akram Khan - here he is dancing Kathak/Contemporary fusion. Beautiful. Love it.