While they certainly are enjoyable listens and show genuine musical potential, Bollywood superstar Priyanka Chopra's first two singles did come with a twinge of disappointment. If "In My City" showed a ready-to-go, mass appeal pop sensibility, and "Erase" showed a refreshing willingness to experiment with harder, more underground beats and textures, what was missing was a dash of her unique selling point as far as the American music market is concerned: a taste of authentic Indian spice. Thankfully, the aptly named "Exotic" not only finally incorporates South Asian rhythms and Hindi lyrics, but also reflects and encapsulates why I've always gravitated and connected so strongly with Indian film music: how it so effortlessly fuses a veritable world of sounds into a seamless and distinctive whole. In addition to Indian sounds and Western dance pop, the track also gets a strong infusion of hip-hop courtesy of Pitbull, who gets a "featuring" credit though the vocal split between him and Chopra is more akin to a 50/50 duet. That said, the voice, literally and figuratively, that dominates is Chopra's, and if the lyrics remain very much in the less-than-profound, merely functional pop realm, that this track finds her carving out a distinctly Desi-honoring musical identity will go a long way toward winning over doubters in her home country.
Buy Priyanka Chopra and Pitbull's "Exotic" single here.
Buy The Chainsmokers and Priyanka Chopra's "Erase" single here.
Buy Priyanka Chopra and will.i.am's "In My City" single here.
