Sunidhi brings new life to Nazia's 'Boom Boom'

How do you tell when a singer is a legend? Answer: when, years after their passing, their hits are still trotted out by the generations that follow. In this vein, the late legendary pop queen Nazia Hassan's iconic Boom Boom was given a fresh makeover by Indian vocalist Sunidhi Chauhan, who gave the '80s disco hit her own twist in a new Indian car commercial.

Eighteen seconds into the commercial, which clocks at just over one minute, Sunidhi's vocals kick in as she steps into the driver's seat of the car. Whilst the tune and lyrics remain the same, Sunidhi's take has more power injected into the vocals, a marked departure from Nazia's more classic, softer, sweeter singing style.

Netizens, however, had no complaints, and clamoured for the full Sunidhi to release a complete version of Nazia's hit, adding fire and heart emojis to their comment for added punch. "Sunidhi's voice!" wrote one fan, adding a fire emoji. Another added alongside a heart emoji, "Amazing choice of a '90s hot pop song."

Proving that when it comes to music, geopolitical tensions are left by the wayside, another fan penned, "Where to get this song in her voice?" Echoing similar sentiments, yet another follower wrote, "They need to release this version of the song."

Nazia's Boom Boom has often been attempted by other artists, although whether they all receive the same warm response as Sunidhi is a separate matter – as actor and singer Mehwish Hayat discovered to her cost this year.

In May, the Daghabaaz Dil actor attempted to pay tribute to the late legend at a disco party in Dubai. Clad in a long black dress, Mehwish serenaded her audience amid flashing lights, swaying in time to the music. Whilst Mehwish's performance did not receive the recording studio treatment Sunidhi's version must undoubtedly have been put through, fans of Nazia were quick to judge. As the short video of Mehwish's impromptu performance popped up on various social media platforms, fans of the late singer all but unanimously rose in arms to slam her rendition of the song. Wherever the clip was posted, the comments ranged from a scathing "She could have paid better tribute by NOT singing at all" to a merciless "Please don't sing again." One particularly ruthless viewer requested a "2-minute silence" after watching the video.

Fans of Nazia's Boom Boom can take comfort in the knowledge that no cover version is likely to surpass the disco queen's evergreen original.