How often do you open Spotify or YouTube and give up because you just can’t find the right song to match your mood? It’s hard but hey once you find the right one you won’t be able to stop playing it on repeat. We understand your pain and we understand the joy that you experience and hence to make your life a whole lot easier we present to you a playlist that will surely evoke a lot of emotions.

Humne Bhi by The Western Ghats

With a catchy beat with soulful lyrics and melody, this song brings out a lot of emotion. Ranging from happy to nostalgic to a tab bit melancholy, this song is bound to bring a subconscious smile to your face. With vocals that will make any none morning person wake up with a peaceful smile, this song is for days when you just wish to vibe with a song in your room.

Mumkin Nahin by Khanabadosh

The feeling of heartbreak after a breakup is something almost everyone is familiar with. The change in environment and life in general that this particular phase brings is not something small. Some may try to hold onto that past in some way, through friendship or otherwise, but it’s not always possible or clean. Expressing the messy aftermath of a breakup where a couple decides to remain friends but doesn’t succeed in leaving it all behind, this song is a reminder that sometimes life moves on irrespective of whether we are ready or not. And although our past will hold a piece of us, it will only be a piece never the whole. It’s a song for days when you just can’t let go and keep up with the change.

Tootay Unplugged by Ankur Tewari

Another song that deals with the theme of loss and the pain of moving on. A soothing vocal accompanied by heartful lyrics this song will soothe any unrest soul. It’s one of those rare beauties with such great lyrics that they will leave you gasping in awe. The metaphors that each line brings out are absolutely beautiful. It’s a song for days when you are at a loss of words for the loss you’re feeling within.

Jaan Baaki by Shubham Kabra

A song that will make you bawl your eyes out with tears of sadness and love, this is a song that you just can’t stop appreciating. The way the music video switches between past and present help enhance your understanding of the lyrics. Two lovers bound together by one soul, and how lonely one becomes in the absence of another but still trudges forward in life is very beautifully portrayed in the video. Plug into your earphones and let the soothing vocals of Shubham Kabra and the hum-worthy melody of the song take you on a journey of cherishing true love.

Tere saath by Choloman Chhondo

A song to dedicate your special someone, it’s a song that will surely remind them how special you truly are to them. An adorable song with a joyous melody, this song will make you dance in your room with joy and happiness. And if somebody dedicates it to you, you will most likely blush from head to toe with love.

Hope these songs evoke a range of emotions in you as they did in us when we curated this playlist for you.

The world of music is a magical one in itself. Our contemporary and industrial compositions are wonderful to groove to and adding to them are our musical originals composed by independent artists. They intertwine notes like whispers of the heart and make melodies waltz. Original music composers emerge as an ode to the boundless creativity of human expression. Today we have with us a compilation consisting of a few such musical originals, let us take you on a symphonic journey that captures our shared human experience.

“Humne Bhi” by Rishi Kumar

Humne Bhi by Rishi Kumar is a melodic masterpiece that is an absolute joy to listen to. The artists’ tunes, instrumentals, and voices wonderfully complement each other. The lyrics are playful and mischievous at the same time very thoughtful. The intonations of the artist’s voices are to make a place in the heart of the audience, leaving them humming the tune all day long. Humne Bhi by Rishi Kumar is truly a soulful musical original.

“Baatein Purani” by Shubham Agrawal

Baatein Purani by Shubham Agrawal is melancholic melody. The music effortlessly takes the audience back to that one person, the one who got away. On the surface, the song is soft and calming, but upon hearing the lyrics carefully you will find yourself missing the person you’ve loved but arent together anymore. Baatein Purani by Shubham Agrawal is a beautiful musical original that leaves a lingering magic once you’ve heard it.

“Dariya” by Vismay Patel

Dariya by Vismay Patel is an enchanting musical original. The music and lyrics resonate with the idea of finding yourself a moment and space in the chaos of daily life. The lyrics take the audience to a place they just want to claim as their own. The song is intricately crafted with giving the sense of being alone without being lonely, of just being still. Dariya by Vismay Patel is an adorable song sure to find its special corner in your heart.

“Tu Jae Jahan” by Osho Jain ft Sanchi

Tu Jae Jahan by Osho Jain is a whimsical cute melody. The music is light and toe-tapping and gets the audience grooving. The lyrics are overflowing with the beauty and novelty of love. The song resonates with the theme of wanting to be where your lover is, of never wanting to spend a single moment apart. Tu Jae Jahan by Osho Jain is a light-hearted song that will have you singing along to every word once you hear it.

“Khaali Daraze” by Sarthak Bhardwaj feat. Kashish Arora

Khaali Daraze by Sarthak Bhardwaj is a soulful, heartwrenching, tear-jerking song that is so beautiful to listen to, it will render you speechless. The tunes and the lyrics are so well crafted and complement each other. The duet adds to the beauty of the song. The music brings out beautifully the duality of human emotions, how the one thing or person who brought a smile upon your face, can now, through mere memory jog up emotions of regret and reminiscence. Khaali Daraze by Sarthak Bharadwaj is such a raw and beautiful musical original which is sure to have the audience clenching their hearts in awe.

We hope you enjoyed this little compilation of original musicals.

Indie musicians embrace the do-it-yourself ethos and take control of the artistic direction, production, and promotion. They provide vitality to the musical landscape, reinforcing the power of artistic independence. Their autonomy allows them to explore a wide range of genres and experiment with sounds, resulting in a rich tapestry of musical expressions. Indie musicians invite us on a journey that broadens our perspective and opens us to new possibilities. Tune into our compilation and explore the depths of indie music.

Raaz Tera Mera by Akanksha Sethi

“Raaz Tera Mera” by Akanksha Sethi is a melodious song with soft light tunes. The lyrics speak of friendship and the unique unbreakable bond between two close friends. From their late-night conversations to their memories that are etched in time forever. The song takes us to the safe space that we only share with our closest friends, a room away from harsh reality, where we can be oblivious to our adversities for a bit, a place we share and long to return to at all times.

Kya Hai Darr by Vasuda Sharma

“Kya Hai Darr” by Vasuda Sharma is an energetic upbeat song with tunes that make you groove. The lyrics speak of taking charge of our thoughts and actions, if we take control of our lives we can overcome any obstacle without any fear. The song reinforces the notion of not being held back by fear, we are the only ones in control of our lives and experiences and nothing should hold us back from them.

We Made Us by Vaani Bhasin

“We Made Us” by Vaani Bhasin is a soft and light song. The lyrics are simple and straight from the heart. The song resounds with authenticity and the beauty of vulnerability and emotions. It’s a delightful refreshing melody that sings about love, focusing on the little details, especially of falling in love. Hearing the song makes one feel warm and brings a smile to our face.

Rijhaaun by Ustavi Jha

“Rijhaaun” by Utsavi Jha is a soothing song with a jazzy tune. The lyrics are well-crafted and talk about the healing power of love. The song also sings about gratitude towards the people who heal us and look out for us and about how we can reciprocate and give back to them. The music is catchy and will have you grooving to the tunes. With its jazzy beats and meaningful words, this composition is a wave of fusion and creativity.

Tum Mujhe Jaante Ho by Trishita Recs

“Tum Mujhe Jaante Ho” by Trishita Recs is a peppy instrumental song. The lyrics are catchy, a testament to the unconditional, healing, genuine bonds we make, and are rare to come across. The song sings for us the feeling of being understood and loved by people who know you inside out, the good and the bad, whether you show it or not, they know what’s going on just by looking at you. The composition is an ode to the bonds that have stood the test of time, distance and adversities.

Wherever I Go I’d Like To Be All I Need by Tanmaya Bhatnagar

“Wherever I Go I’d Like To Be All I Need” by Tanmaya Bhatnagar is a light and airy song. The lyrics are melancholy and filled with a sense of being alone, enjoying the loneliness and longing for company. Although lyrics are simple, they have a much deeper meaning and will strike a cord directly in the hearts of the listeners. The composition is wonderfully crafted and well-paced.

Indie musicians are set apart by their dedication to honest storytelling. Their lyrics explore personal experiences, social commentary, and introspective reflections. They take on themes like love, loss, identity, and societal issues, forming a connection with listeners and an emotional level.

In a world where everyone is busy with becoming first, it is hard to find someone who slows down on purpose. Someone who marches to the beat of their own drums. Someone who knows the true value of working on themselves. People like these are often considered odd and the society often tries to persuade them to join the rat race. For society, these rare anomalies create inferiority among the rest. And hence society crushes them without realising that these rare anomalies are truly gems that make life worth living. They add beauty to life inspiring and invigorating us to march ahead. These rare gems are none other than artists of this world. And one such rare gem is up-and-coming singer Akanksha Grover.

Akanksha Grover: Her Journey

Born in Faridabad, Akanksha’s interest in music was sparked when she started attending Satsangs and Kirtans with her mother. There she would watch her mother sing and soon enough music started feeling like home to her. But for young Akanksha, the real fire for music began to burn brightly inside her once her brother started getting formally trained in music. At the tender age of 3-4 years, she was enamoured by the power of music and first started learning by observing her brother getting trained. Later on, when his brother decided to stop his musical training, she requested her parents to let her continue. And that’s how her lifelong bond with music started.

Blessed with parents who understood the true value of art, Akanksha had a great support system growing up. But that doesn’t mean life was devoid of any hurdles for this talented singer. Choosing to stick to Ghazals over commercialised genres of singing, means it won’t be that easy for her to make a name for her in this cut-throat ever-changing Indian music scene. So having a financial burden is not uncommon for her. Yet she never loses her determination for her soul lies in singing. 

Following her parents’ advice she decided to give the normal 9-5 job as a music teacher at a school a shot. But she soon realised that was not the life for her. And she literally ran for the hills! She refused to bend to the whims of society and continued her riyaz (practice) and improved herself day by day. Her diagnosis of Celiac disease, the covid lockdown followed by a depressive state only reinforced her decision to run for the hills. The hills rejuvenated her and gave us the melodious Akanksha Grover we know today.

From Panicking To Thriving On Stage

Given that Akanksha is not a big people person, her state of pure anxiety before going live on stage is highly relatable to many of us. But just like Meena from the movie “Sing” all Grover needs is to start singing and then the world around her vanishes into oblivion. All that exists is her voice, the musical notes and the beautiful lyrics that surround her. 

Quoting Smt. Shashwati Mandal (who is also her guru), Kishori Amonkar, Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar, Shobha Gurtu, Prithvi Gandharv and Pratibha Singh Baghel as her musical inspiration, just highlights her golden taste in music. Being a Ghazal singer it is hard to break out in the modern musical scene of India. And that’s where the growing popularity of Baithaks and social media comes to the rescue.

Baithaks: A Charm of Old India

Thanking social media enormously for her success, Akanksha is not one to shy away from showing gratitude to social media for helping her grow so much. Baithaks, or mehfils, are formal venues where indoor recreational activities are entertained. These activities can range from singing to reciting poetries to dancing. They were a huge part of the Indian culture. They were popular for letting the artist take centre stage as listeners conversed among themselves and enjoyed art at its finest. Over time these soon became a part of history. But are now getting revived with emerging Ghazal singers hosting them for their fans. Akanksha Grover and others are at the forefront of this revival.

In order to make today’s audience understand the charm of baithaks and mehfils, Akanksha does her best by fusing both traditions with modernity. By using certain Western instruments in her baithaks now and then followed by an explanation behind the meaning of her song, she ensures her audience feels her music as much as she does when she sings it. By far her memorable baithak has to be the one in Mumbai that she recently hosted. The lovely songs requested by the audience just stole her heart.

A Message For Aspiring Artists & A Remedy For Bad Days

As a free bird who just wishes to sing to her heart’s content, and not compete or get dragged into the rat race, some days can be hard for Akanksha Grover. And that’s when all she does is drive around while blasting her favourite music. This inspires her to record something great like the piece she is listening to. It may not work for everybody but you will only know when you try it!

As a lover of music, there is nothing more disheartening for Grover than to watch young talented artists just copy the work of previous artists. She hopes that today’s artists will take the time to learn the musical notes and svaras. And listen to those old brilliant compositions but produce something of their own for the audience. Her message to aspiring artists is that she hopes they don’t get demotivated by others’ success and focus on themselves as that’s when they truly start improving and things start happening for them.

As Akanksha tirelessly works towards composing; Ghazals and Nazams some by brilliant shayars and some of her original work she prays that she never has to stop singing, for singing is her safe haven in this bustling world.

Music is so powerful that it can manipulate emotions in a person. From evoking calmness to raging fury, music can make or break your mood. Add a video to the music and the emotions become all the more powerful. A good music video ensures that the beauty of each line in the lyrics is magnified. We bring to you a selection of beautiful music videos that do just that. These songs will calm you or make you feel nostalgic or fill you with enthusiasm but there will never be a dull moment in this playlist.

Play by Mali

We often come across songs dedicated to mothers or fathers but a bond that is often forgotten is the one shared with grandparents. While our parents always have to be uptight to keep us on the right path, our grandparents ensure that not all the fun is lost in our world. From getting us that candy that we so desired but Muma denied, to helping us keep track of the world cup scores during our exams, they ensure that we don’t forget living. A soothing voice accompanied by a simple tune, “Play” by Mali brings to light this beautiful bond that one shares with one’s grandparents. Carrying a tone of nostalgia the lyrics speak to one’s heart. As the singer in the music video passes through the different moments she spent with her grandfather in her mind, we can’t help but do the same in our heads. Urging her grandfather to play the tune one last time for everyone, this song leaves a mark in every listener’s ear.

Believe by When Chai Met Toast

It’s often easy to give up hope and let time run its course. But it’s much harder to hold on to what you believe when the entire world is telling you to give up. Everyone comes across a certain time in life when they know they are on the right track, but the whole world fails to see how. A song for these warriors, “Believe” is for everyone who refuses to stop believing. With a simple yet beautiful melody accompanied by powerful lyrics, this song acts like an umbrella for those being forced to doubt themselves. The lyrics are beautifully captured in a simple tale of a mother and daughter and their shared love for dancing that didn’t end even with the sad demise of the former. The end of the video will surely bring happy tears to your eyes. As the music builds up towards the end it is sure to leave us, listeners, with a feeling of glory and victory and a wave of enthusiasm to keep us marching forward.   

Prarthaney/ Prayer by Praveen Alva

We are always told God is our ultimate saviour. In every religion, there exists a passage or a story or a verse about how when the world descended to chaos, God came down from heaven to save humanity. “Prarthaney/ Prayer” by Praveen Alva is a plea for help in the form of a song from a common man to his saviour, God. Directed by Luke Sydney and shot entirely with the help of drones, the music video takes a bird’s eye view, to showcase what it would probably look like if God was looking at this common man’s plea for help. A simple and sweet song composed in the Tulu language which is one of the oldest Dravidian languages, this song is sure to put your ears at peace. It’s a soulful song that is shot in many tranquil and aesthetic environments that will even make heaven hum with serenity.

Underscore by KAVYA

Often times we try to hold onto things that we are better off letting go of. The process is tough but it’s something that needs to be done in order to move forward and grow. “Underscore” by KAVYA focuses on something similar in a very innovative yet simple way. A soothing tune with a music video focusing on a girl desperately trying to hold on to some beautiful pastel-coloured balloons brings out the concept of letting go really well. The pastel shades of the balloons highlight the innocence and naivety that the girl possesses initially. As the girl struggles and finally lets go of her balloon realising how futile it is for her to hold on to it, the message becomes all the more clear for the audience. This beautiful melody is sure to calm your nerves.

Hope this beautiful playlist made your day as much as it made ours!