Meet Nitika Kurian, R&B musician who is making waves with her new single, Blue
Blue, which released on March 27th this year, will soothe the soul with its pleasant melodies
Chennai based Nitika Kurian is taking us on a journey of nostalgia through the release of her powerful R&B musical singles.
Her new song titled ‘Blue’ is a soothing song inspired by the ocean, and her love for it. Growing up in Goa and Puducherry, she was surrounded by beaches and this is what inspired the 19-year-old to write this very personal track.
Keba Jeremiah who has worked with musical legend A R Rahman played the guitar for this track and Michael Timothy has produced it.
He has previously worked with Nitika on an earlier single, Phoenix, which talks about rising strong after a breakup.
Nitika’s musical numbers can be downloaded across all major musical streaming platforms, such as Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, and Deezer amongst others. Phoenix has garnered over 58.1K streams till date, while her recent song, Blue, has got over 1.65 K streams and counting since its release on March 27th.
In an exclusive interview with YSWeekender musician and singer Nitika Kurian talks about the release of her new single, Blue, her early inspiration and what made her venture into song writing.
Edited excerpts from the interview:
YSW: Were you always passionate about music?
NK: Pretty much! Ever since I was a baby, I’d be around a lot of music and in church, too. I grew up with a lot of amazing music and I just always knew it was a part of me and will always continue to be!
Singer Nitika Kurian
YSW: Who were some of your early musical influences?
NK: During my early childhood, it was the Classics like Queen, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, ABBA, Boney M and Gospel Music that influenced me, and then as I grew up, I think I ventured into the world of RnB/Soul and Hip Hop and fell in love with this genre of music! I started listening to Usher, Eminem, the early 2000s classic RnB artists like Ne-Yo, Lauryn Hill, etc.
YSW: What was the first instrument you picked up, and how did you get into writing songs?
NK: The first instrument I ever played was the piano at the age of 6 and I started training in classical piano from then onwards. But I’d always find myself slipping into accompanying myself while singing instead of actually practising for the ‘Classical Piano’ part of it!
I write poetry too, so while practising, I’d end up singing the things I wrote and that’s how it all started. I wrote my first song addressed to my parents when I was mad at them and that’s the story of that!
Blue Album Artwork.
YSW: Can you talk about the launch of your new single, Blue? What inspired the track?
NK: Blue is a song that is really close to my heart. I’ve always felt this strange connect to the ocean, growing up near the sea through my life from Goa to Pondy to Chennai and it always calmed me. The ocean is everything to me and I have always felt like an “Indian Moana". I have felt I could really talk to the ocean and she has been my best friend. And so, my love for her is what inspired the music of Blue.
YSW: Who were some of the people you worked with to bring the song to life?
NK: My wonderful producer and bassist – Michael Timothy will forever be credited! Keba Jeremiah, whom I admire so much, played the guitars on this track and to this day, I still can’t believe he played it. I was so honoured!
YSW: Your previous single Phoenix was also a big hit. Do you plan to release an album anytime soon, or are you currently only working on singles?
NK: I never expected Phoenix to blow up the way it did but I am so grateful for it! I still have plans for a few singles, but I was hoping to release an EP by the end of 2020. But I am not too sure how that will work out now but I am hoping this quarantine sparks up a lot more songs!
YSW: What according to you goes into writing a good song?
NK: Writing a good song, well, I’d say is very subjective and is based on the kind of artist you are and the genre you want to play with. I wouldn’t necessarily categorise it because it’s all about the artist! But for me, the lyrics matter a lot. I’ve seen many songs that either weigh heavy in the melody or music itself. As long as there’s a good balance of music and lyrics, it is great!
YSW: What is your musical style, and who are some of the artists, and singers that inspire your current music?
NK: My musical style is actually very flexible. I enjoy doing all sorts to styles to be honest. I love experimenting with the different genres! Kehlani, Tori Kelly, Daniel Caesar, Jacob Collier and the list goes on!
YSW: What do you love doing the most on the weekend?
NK: Singing, mostly, You’d find me at the piano or the guitar or trying to shoot covers or write songs! Or you’d just find me in bed sleeping! Architecture puts you in a tough place- sleep schedule wise! Or you might find me binge watching movies or just eating!
YSW: What is your advice to other aspiring singers and songwriters out there?
NK: Put out your music. It doesn’t matter if you don’t think it is great – give it a chance. There’s no point in keeping all this music that you’re making to yourself because music is meant to be shared and heard and understood. Put everything out because there’s always someone who will listen to it and it’ll mean something to them. You’ll never know till you put it out for the world!
Edited by Asha Chowdary