29 August 2025, Mumbai: The soul-stirring love ballad ‘Ishq Hai (This Is Love)’, originally composed by acclaimed Indian music director Anurag Saikia for Mismatched Season 3, has been reborn as a global collaboration featuring trance legend Armin van Buuren and UK R&B superstar Craig David. The track officially releases worldwide today, August 29, 2025.
From Local Favorite to Global Phenomenon
First released in 2024, Ishq Hai quickly became an anthem of love, finding a permanent place in wedding playlists, rainy-day drives, and social media trends. With 300M+ streams globally and 175M+ on Spotify India alone, the track not only dominated Indian charts but also found loyal listeners across Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Singapore, and the Middle East. Its association with Netflix India and RSVP Movies’ Mismatched Season 3 turned it into a pop-culture staple, embraced by millions of fans across Asia.
Reimagined for the Global Stage
Now, the track takes on a fresh life. Armin van Buuren, five-time winner of DJ Mag’s World’s No. 1 Trance DJ, infuses the song with his signature high-energy trance beats, giving it the power to light up dance floors. Complementing this, Craig David brings a heartfelt English verse, weaving global R&B flair into Saikia’s deeply emotional composition.
The result is a soaring, cross-genre anthem that bridges Sufi tenderness with festival-ready euphoria.
Voices Behind the Collaboration
- Armin van Buuren: “When I first heard Ishq Hai, its emotion and melody instantly stayed with me. Working with Craig to reimagine it was special; we kept its soul but gave it the energy to connect with dance floors all over the world.”
- Craig David: “The first time I heard ‘Ishq Hai,’ I loved the vibe straight away. Adding my verse and being part of a version that opens the song up to even more people worldwide was a really special experience.”
Anurag Saikia: “‘Ishq Hai’ is such a special song for me. The love it has received is overwhelming. To now see it reimagined with Armin and Craig shows how music travels beyond borders—it truly is love.”
A Landmark Global Collab
Romain Vivien, President Europe & Head of Music at Believe, highlights its significance: “This is Armin’s first-ever India collaboration after performing here since 2008, and Craig David’s first India collab as part of our Believe UK roster. With Armada Music pushing the release across the UK, USA, and EU, and Believe driving it in India, ‘Ishq Hai’ is set to break borders like never before.”
Release Details
‘Ishq Hai (This Is Love)’ – Anurag Saikia ft. Armin van Buuren & Craig David is now available worldwide on all major streaming platforms.
With this release, an Indian classic has truly gone from India to the world, redefining love songs for a global audience.