Mental by Rishi Rao

Rishi Rao has delivered memorable performances before, but Mental sits comfortably among the very best. Rishi Rao has a history of strong work, and the music on Mental is among the most memorable of it.

Rishi Rao delivers the lyrics with a nuance that turns an already strong song into something genuinely moving. Hearing Mental without thinking of a talented ensemble cast is almost impossible for anyone who has seen Mental.

Released in 2020, it arrived at a time when Haryanvi music needed exactly this kind of sincerity. Listeners have described the experience of Mental differently — romantic, melancholic, uplifting — which suggests the song is large enough to hold many truths.

Running to 2:40, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. For anyone yet to hear Mental, the experience ahead is a good one. For those returning, it will be as good as they remember.