Tell us about your single ‘RUN’, how was it working on it, and what is the story behind it?
“RUN” talks about believing in your dreams and not being very confident. It’s like running towards your goal. I feel like in the past I had been afraid of putting my true self out there. I was told to not dream big, to try and fit in to look alike, to change my style so I can be accepted by the people. Being a young, south Asian girl coming down to the US was, and still is, such a challenge. I had people laugh at me when I shared my dreams with them and told them what I wanted to be.
Over the years I realized that my uniqueness is my diversity. Being a person of color I wanted to show my ethnicity/roots but also show the culture of my country. That’s where I found my confidence. This song is a motivation to everyone who needs encouragement to be themselves. Be you and dream BIG!
It was an amazing experience creating the song and the video. I had so much fun working with Sean Fischer and Maggie Szabo on this project. We had such a great vibe and energy in our studio session.
When it came down to the music video my sister Annabel directed it; she’s so creative with the visuals. Some of the looks she chose I was a bit nervous to try, but she knew exactly how the colors and styles would look on camera. I would say that the idea of combining the two worlds was perfect for this song and I loved showcasing my culture in the music video.
Who have been the people who influenced you the most and from whom you were inspired?
Growing up in a musical environment, my dad was the first who influenced me in music. I remember as a toddler I would beg him to take me along to his recording sessions. Since childhood, Whitney Houston, Céline Dion, and Mariah Carey have been major influences In my singing.
There is so much to learn from them and it’s just incredible to see what they can do with their soulful yet powerful voices. I like Ariana Grande as well. She’s got such a chill vibe and it’s always fun to watch her perform!
In light of the Coronavirus, do you think the music industry that has suffered tremendous damage by eliminating festivals, closed clubs, and of course, the loss of livelihood to musicians will change the face of the music industry as we know it?
As artists, performing around the world is a major part of our careers because that’s how we connect and engage with our fans. With all those opportunities and platforms being shut down at the moment, I’m sure it’s tough to promote your music and connect with your fans but I guess we have this digital platform and social media where we can virtually perform and enjoy that experience in a different way! I feel like the industry will definitely be impacted by the current situation; all my friends who are artists have all been super bummed about not being able to perform for their fans. I can see the virtual live streams continuing in the future.
Who is the next artist you would like to collaborate with?
I’d love to collaborate with Bruno Mars and Harry Styles. I love their style of music, especially their songwriting skills. They both are incredible artists and I’d love to see what we would come up with.
From all the singles you’ve released so far, which one still makes you excited every time you hear it?
Ah, that’s a tough one because all the songs have a specific memory and experience attached to it. They all take me back in time so it’s really hard for me to pick one haha
How do you describe your music?
My music is alternative pop. I feel like I explore a lot of genres which is why all my songs have a different vibe. Along with the versatility of the music and genre, I make sure that I have a story or some sort of a positive message which comes out through my song.
What inspired your cover of ‘Let Me Get Me’ with Kurt Hugo Schneider, how did the collaboration start? and what was it like working on it together?
Working with Kurt and his amazing team is always fun. There’s so much creativity that goes into the making of the music and video and everything is usually done on the spot, which is exciting! I had wanted to do a cover of Selena Gomez and I was in love with her song, “Let Me Get Me” so we decided to work on it and it was great!
2021 is coming, what are your goals for the next year
My goals would be to keep doing what I love and spreading positivity through my work. There is still a lot left to climb to get to the top of the mountain so I’m just going to keep going and keep giving my fans new, exciting content.
What excites you most about being a singer and performing around the world?
Everything! Haha. From the moment I get to the airport landing in a different place, to preparing for my performance. The adrenaline is always at its highest. I still have crazy stage fright where my entire body shakes in fear and I get butterflies in my stomach and I’m praying to God that I don’t end up messing my performance or do something totally embarrassing.
Strangely, though, as soon as I get on the stage and I start to sing, all my nervousness just disappears. Maybe because I see my fans out there cheering for me and enjoying my performance. I love engaging with the audience, especially when I see them groove to my songs or when I heard the incredible sound of applause. It’s like a dream.
You and many of the artists share their daily lives on social media, how important is exposure and connection to the audience for you?
I like to share my work on social media and what I’m doing, what I’m proud of, sharing my fan’s feedbacks on my songs. Though I like to keep myself a bit private which is why sometimes I post on my social media after a month. I guess I’m still trying to learn how to not get affected by haters and so I feel like it’ll take me some time to break out of my shell. Though I do share a couple of snippets of me and my personal life along the way.
You are an inspiration for lots of people around the world, including artists, music producers, and music fans. What message would you like to send them during this difficult time?
It’s an incredibly fragile time where we need to be with our loved ones. The amount of lives that been impacted by the pandemic is crazy and all I would say is to please take care of yourself and your loved ones.
Please make sure to follow all the guidelines even if you think the virus is gone it’s still in the air. Stay positive and try to divert your mind to things like cooking, reading, songwriting, yoga, dancing. Anything that you never had time to do or try before, do it now! Along with myself all the artists and musicians are going to keep you entertained with our music so keep listening and showing love to it.
