Today's Global Hit focuses on one song. It's called "One." And it's by Jamshied Sharifi. Sharifi is an Iranian-American composer. The song is from his new CD -- also called "One."

Sharifi enlisted musicians and singers from all over the world to work on the album. The singer we're hearing right now is Yungchen Lhamo from Tibet. Jamshied Sharifi came to our studios recently to talk about all the elements in his music -- especially those featured on the CD's title track.

We listened to the song together as we spoke.

SHARIFI: "This song was actually the model for the record. I wanted to make it a combination of unlikely voices, in particular a West African voice and an Asian voice."

MULLINS: "But then you have an Irish or Celtic influence. So talk about an amalgam."

SHARAIFI: "Yes, and then you have koto running through it, which is the plucked harp."

MULLINS: "How is a song like this even composed?"

SHARAIFI: "Let's think of the first layer as being percussion and that becomes the structure or the bed. After that would be a layer of harmony. In this case koto and bass guitar. After that there's instrumental melody. Then lastly I look at that whole form and say, 'Well where do I want the vocalists to be.' So when the vocalists come in the track is pretty much done.

MULLINS: "How many times did you visit the studio?"

SHARAIFI: "I would say seven or eight times. Not including the mix, which is its own little journey."