India, Sept. 13 -- B hojpuri folk and Dhobiya dance from eastern Uttar Pradesh came together with Japanese Shamisen, a traditional three-stringed musical instrument played with a large plectrum called a bachi, in Champawa Ki Kaliyan, the latest song by Indian folk-fusion band Maati Baani, featuring Ghazipur folk artist Jeewan Ram and Japanese shamisen player Sayo Komada. Its unique blend of music has increased the song's reach, with it crossing 9.6 million views on Instagram since its July-end release. "We just didn't want to do a plain Bhojpuri song, so I came up with this idea of having a Japanese shamisen," says Maati Baani member Kartik Shah, adding, "Bhojpuri has a stereotype that it's only crass. So we thought about how we can break it and make it fun, clean and entertaining." And the response has been a testament to their success. "A lot of comments are mentioning that this should be a benchmark for Bhojpuri music because it's not vulgar but cultural," he says. The folk artistes getting recognition is important to the lead vocalist of Maati Baani, Nirali Kartik. "These are our victories that cannot be put in views. It's about how one song can affect the whole community," she says, adding that her partnership with Shah comes naturally: "Music feels like our home because we create together."...