Go back to a Nepal of 30 years ago when radio was the king of the air. Television was a luxury, multiplexes — the word had not even been coined, and gramophone records of Hindi film songs were treasured like diamonds. At such a time, Radio Nepal (changed from Nepal Radio) blared a song like there was no tomorrow.

Bhaisi ladyo hai maya bhir bata hera

Nau saya sathi hai maya gai halyo lau khera

Sung by a young lass from the Darjeeling hills, it was on the lips of every Radio Nepal listener from the rolling mountains to the flat Terais. It became so popular that apart from the usual airings, it was the #1 request in the ‘Furmaisi Karyakram’.

And the voice behind this popular bhaisi was Daisy Baraily, who in 1975 had come to Kathmandu with a group of artistes to stage a geeti natak (musical play/opera) Pheri Ramayankai Katha at the Royal Nepal Academy.

“As there no pre-recorded songs for plays at the time, I was to sing the playback scores for Kaushalya’s character,” she recalls.

But magic happened when she did that — both for her and the Nepali music world. She voice captured the hearts of the two monarchs of Nepali music industry and after that a star was born.

What followed was Kamal Darnal’s Bhaisi ladyo hai, and Mayalule samjho ki kaso — a duet with Dawa Gyalmo. In 1983, she recorded Euta khulla kitab hu ma, which exhibited her musical prowess to the maximum.

With the pop songs popping up in the charts like never before in the 90’s, Baraily’s voice was shelved to some unopened shelves at the back of drawers. And her songs were almost forgotten as they were never compiled. Even today Baraily does not know if her songs are safe in the library of Radio Nepal.

However, there are music lovers who know a gem’s worth. “During a musical tour to Chitwan, an RJ presented me a CD of compilation of my songs,” she says adding, “I am so grateful to him.”

Married to Chandan Lomzel, another musician who is the man behind Narayan Gopal’s Mera sabai rata, Baraily with her husband’s help is all set to bring out her solo album, which will hit the market by the mid-April. The album will contain 10 songs composed by Lomzel.

“We have already prepared eight songs of the album,” she informs.

She is here to kick of Nepa-laya’s second phase of the Paleti series named Paleti Shrinkhala, and her daughter Bimochana, who sings as melodiously as her, will be accompanying her and rendering Gyalmo’s part in the Baruli song.

And after the Paleti, her fans can look forward to her upcoming album, while Baraily says, “I will always be indebted to Radio Nepal that gave me a break and the Nepali audience whose love I will always treasure.”

And we her fans will always treasure the smile that her songs brought us.