Abudhabi by Sameena Beegam, Baby

Not every song from Abudhabi lingers, but Abudhabi is the one that stays. Behind the melody is the work of Kozhikode Aboobakker, whose composition choices give Abudhabi its distinctive texture.

The voice of Sameena Beegam, Baby carries Abudhabi effortlessly, which is the highest compliment a song can give its singer. The song is tied to a talented ensemble cast, whose presence gives Abudhabi a visual dimension that fans of the film will always associate with it.

By the end of 2020, Abudhabi had moved well beyond its original audience and into everyday playlists. Listeners have described the experience of Abudhabi differently — romantic, melancholic, uplifting — which suggests the song is large enough to hold many truths.

Running to 3:53, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. Abudhabi endures because it was built on feeling rather than formula — and that is the one thing streaming numbers cannot manufacture.