“Safarnama depicts the journey of my life in the form of songs” – Anoushka Naik

Growing up in an artistically inclined family, Anoushka Naik got drawn to music at a very young age. She started out as a guitarist and slowly transitioned into being a singer, composer, and songwriter. For quite some time now, Anoushka has been releasing a variety of music, across different genres, as an independent artist. A couple of weeks ago, she released ‘Rishta’, a new single which is a part of her new EP ‘Safarnama’.

In this interview, Anoushka talks about her new EP, journey as a musician, getting inspired by her father, experimenting with different genres, collaborating with Shankar Mahadevan, composing for films and more.

‘Rishta’ has been composed by you and written by your father Ajay K Naik, who is a renowned filmmaker. You have sung it along with Gulraj Singh. One knows Gulraj primarily as a music composer, producer and keyboardist but he has sung a few songs in the past as well. How did you end up collaborating with him on this track?

Gulraj sir has been a mentor to me ever since I started making music. He always pushed me to take my bass and vocals forward. I am primarily a guitarist. He saw something in me and said you have to sing this with me. Initially, it was designed as a solo number that would have been sung by him. It is a male-centric number. He convinced me to sing it with him. When we tried it out, we realized it was sounding good. I made this track thinking about creating a very new sound. It is often perceived that Gen Z is more into techno and beat-oriented songs. That is not really true. We also love music that is meaningful and has deep lyrics. We love songs that are driven by emotions. I was trying to make something that would resonate with people from different generations. I had sent a very simple draft to him which had just a few guitar pieces and a basic beat. Whatever music I make, I share with Gulraj sir. His feedback has helped me grow. I was hoping he would collaborate with me. He loved the draft. I came to Mumbai to make him listen to the draft. He gave me some suggestions on how we could make it better. I incorporated his suggestions and soon, the track was ready. He recorded the vocals and sent it to me. Gulraj sir did such an incredible job on the vocals. ‘Rishta’ is a very special song for me as it resonated with me on a personal level. It is a lyrical, beat-oriented song.

Apart from composing ‘Rishta’ and being a co-vocalist on it, you have also programmed it. You have played the guitar along with Dhruv Trikannad. You have also been credited for the bass guitar pieces on the track.

I grew up in an artistic family. My father has been a part of the film industry for the last several years. I grew up amidst all these artistic things happening around me. Shankar – Ehsaan – Loy have mentored me ever since I was a child. I got the gift of music from my father. Shankar sir guided me a lot in my journey. Ehsaan sir also helped me a lot. Loy sir, too, has always been there for me. My dad makes films in Marathi. I tried different things and figured out what resonated the most with me. I ended up having fun with everything. However, music is my primary passion. I started out as a guitarist and bassist. During the lockdown, when we were locked up inside our homes, I started experimenting with music production. I started making my own songs. I have worked as an assistant director on a web series. I have directed a few music videos. I got drawn to editing at one point. I feel if you are directing something, you are the best person to package it together. That will ensure that your vision is brought to life correctly. Picking up multiple skills has helped me tremendously in my journey as an independent artist.

Do you have formal music training?

As a child, I used to listen to music. My dad tried to teach me drums when I was really young. At that time, I was extremely introverted. I was more into painting and sketching. When I was in the ninth grade, I picked up the guitar for the first time. Since dad was a musician, there were many instruments at home. I learnt everything from YouTube, including how to hold chords and what exercises to do. There were many wonderful people, like Prashant Das sir, Sanjoy Das sir, Sheldon D’Silva sir and Ehsaan sir, who guided me in this journey. These people have been great mentors to me. They helped me in perfecting my techniques. They gave me advice on how I should play my guitar. I, however, did not learn formally from a teacher. I feel doing a lot of things on my own helped me create a distinctive sound of my own.

‘Rishta’ is a part of the EP ‘Safarnama’. Does the title reflect the theme of the EP?

Yes, it does. Every track in the EP is a part of my personality. Every track depicts a different emotion. I have collaborated with several independent artists on this EP. I have tried to create a different sound with every track. There is one thing that is common to all the tracks though. Every track captures the nostalgic emotion and sound of the 2000s with a modern arrangement. ‘Rishta’ has a country vibe. The EP is a mix of several genres including jazz, rock, blues, pop and house. I named it ‘Safarnama’ as it depicts the journey of my life in the form of songs. Even the lyrics are based on some incident or chapter from my life. In the last 2-3 months, I have done nothing but sit in the studio, trying to perfect the songs.

You have been working as an independent musician. Is it challenging to release, distribute and market music on your own?

I don’t find the process to be very challenging. Social media is the best place to market your music. It helps you evolve as an artist. You get to know what kind of music the audience is connecting with. If you make something interesting, you can break through the clutter and stand out. It has enabled me to push my boundaries and do better. I don’t think a lot about marketing. If you are making music, you should focus on music. Not everybody is going to love your art. There will be criticism. However, you will also have a lot of people around supporting you.

You have experimented with different genres. Is there a specific genre that is closest to your heart?

I don’t have a favourite genre. Every time I am in the studio, I feel something different. In ‘Main Bharose’, I fused a classical composition with modern arrangements. ‘Ishq Mein’ was a trance-techno track. ‘GenZ Tandav’ was a drums-and-bass track. Shankar sir blessed me by singing ‘Ab Ghan’. Getting him to sing this song was one of the best moments of my life. He has been one of my greatest inspirations. I don’t want to tie myself to any particular genre. On a personal level, I feel I express myself the best with blues and that is soulful and conveys the emotions I am feeling. It is not about the genre. It is about emotions for me.

Your father has been a part of the industry for years. What is the kind of role he has played in your journey?

My father has been my life-long guru. I remember this very clearly. Ever since I was a baby, I would sit next to him for hours and look at what he is doing. When I decided to get into music, he was very supportive. Whenever I suffered from any doubt, he guided me. He keeps me on my toes and pushes me to practice harder. He is like the master from the movie ‘Whiplash’ (laughs). He has been constantly strict with me as he always wanted me to do well and achieve all my dreams. He would tell me, “even if you are tired, you have to sit with your guitar and practice.” He tells me that since I have chosen this field, I have to do justice to it. Both my parents have been a source of tremendous emotional support for me. Artists tend to be emotional and sensitive. Having both of them around me in my journey has been beautiful. Every time, I create something, I make my parents listen to it. They are my pillars of strength. They give me honest feedback. Sometimes, I write my own songs. At times, dad comes up with a few lines. Having someone else on board gives you a different perspective. While working on ‘Rishta’, I had sent a very different draft to Gulraj sir. The way he moulded his vocals played an important role in enhancing the emotions. Collaborations help you widen your perspective on a track. Working with my father has helped me learn so many things.

Do you plan to sing or compose for films in the future?

Yes! I would love to explore everything. I don’t want to have any boundaries as an artist.

What are you doing next?

I will be releasing different types of tracks in the coming months. One of the tracks I have made has blues mixed with jazz retro. It is romantic and whimsical at the same time. I am curious to see how the listeners respond to it. I am an eccentric person, so I feel my music should also have a sense of eccentricity to it. I have made a rock-and-roll song. There is a rock heartbreak song, too, in the pipeline. Every song has a different vibe to it.