Euphoria’s Ninth Studio Album Brings Together Shalmali Kholgade, KK, and Five Others

Euphoria have announced their ninth studio album, and the features list alone makes a statement. Twenty-seven years into their career the band has assembled Shalmali Kholgade, Abhay Jodhpurkar, Jyotsna Radhakrishnan, Dhanji, Akriti Kakar, Kinushk Sen, and KK for what looks like on of their most ambitious projects yet. An exact release date is expected next week.

The band, led by Palash Sen, became one of India’s most beloved rock acts through anthems like “Maeri,” “Dhoom Pichak Dhoom,” and “Yaaron Ki Barat” - tracks that defined an era of Indian alternative rock in the late ‘90s and early 2000s and built a fanbase that has stayed with them across nearly three decades.

Here’s a closer look at the artists joining them on the album:

KK

One of India’s most beloved playback singers, KK built a career across Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Bengali film music, with tracks like “Tadap Tadap” (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam) and “Khuda Jaane” (Bachna Ae Haseeno) among his most enduring work. KK passed away in May 2022 at age 53, leaving a lasting legacy with fans.

Shalmali Kholgade

A playback singer known for her work across Bollywood, Marathi, Bengali, Telugu, and Tamil recordings, Kholgade broke through with “Pareshan” from Ishaqzaade and cemented her place in mainstream Hindi pop with “Balam Pichkari” from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani - both of which remain staples of 2010s Bollywood soundtracks.

Abhay Jodhpurkar

Jodhpurkar debuted in Kannada playback with Godfather (2012) before crossing into Hindi cinema with “Mera Naam Tu” for Shah Rukh Khan’s Zero (2018). His catalog spans multiple industries including the Tamil debut “Moongil Thottam” with Harini for Kadal and “E Sanje Eke Jaruthide” from the Kannada hit RangiTaranga.

Jyotsna Radhakrishnan

With over 1,000 songs across 12 languages to her name, Radhakrishnan has built her career primarily in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada cinema. She’s best known for “Karuppinazhaku” (Swapnakoodu), “Themma Themma Themmadikkatte” (Rain Rain Come Again), and “Raftara” from the Mohanlal-starrer Lucifer.

Dhanji

An Ahmedabad-based rapper, Dhanji has emerged as a defining voice in India’s underground hip-hop scene. His 2023 debut album RUAB established him as an artist prioritizing atmosphere, storytelling, and experimentation - a direction he’s continued with his recent project Drive-in Cinema 2.1.

Akriti Kakar

A singer and composer, Kakar is known for Bollywood favourite “Saturday Saturday” (Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania) and “Iski Uski” (2 States), both of which became fixtures of the era’s pop-leaning film soundtracks.

Kinshuk Sen

An actor and singer working across theater, film, and music, Sen is also Palash Sen’s son. His credits include Come Fall in Love, Aditya Chopra’s Broadway-style musical adaptation of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, and Hollywood indie In a Silent Way. He won Best Actor at the Southern Shorts Awards in 2017 for Jiya Jaye.

With a lineup spanning playback veterans, underground hip-hop, theater, and one of Bollywood’s most enduring voices, Euphoria’s ninth album looks set to be a departure from anything the band has attempted before. An exact release date is expected next week, alongside further details on the tracklist and collaborations.