Musician Dhee seems to be having the best of both worlds as she remains consistent in delivering hits with both her film and independent works. Her recent indie song 'Vari Vari' paints both a poignant and a playful image as it is themed on a person taking a journey to find a version of themselves that they had lost. "My childhood was not like the one you saw in the song. But yeah, I have had a lot of similar moments in life. 'Vari Vari' has been inspired by such moments," begins Dhee, as she goes on to elucidate how the preservation of her inner child is important for her as a musician.
Citing the example of AR Rahman and her father, music composer Santhosh Narayanan, Dhee says being a child enables creativity. "In an interview, when asked about how he continues to surprise audiences even after all these years, AR Rahman sir said that he always carries this childlike wonder at everything that makes him do things. The same could be said about Santhosh (Narayanan) appa, who is always curious. Inspired by them, I have taught myself to preserve my inner child and remain curious, and that makes me keep learning as an artist. The child in you will ensure you remain creative," she says, adding that cultural rootedness is another vital element in creative expression. "Culture is a part of who I am. I am someone who is in between two places - Australia and Sri Lanka - and this is my identity. I feel artists should represent themselves and tell their stories. That way, you can effectively communicate with people."
It evokes the curiosity to know her different strategies while working on Tamil and English songs, given the fact that Dhee ensures in indie songs that she expresses her affinity to her roots. She, however, explains that there aren't multiple strategies or approaches on how she goes about it and that it is all the same with informing about her culture to English and Tamil listeners. "Creating a song is nothing but storytelling and a way of expression. While I am at it, I don't think about whether I convey it correctly; that will obstruct the process. So it is not pressure for me, I don't take it like that. If anything, I am more comfortable writing in English. I am a stronger writer in English. Other than that, I am not doing anything differently. I see both as the same."
Circling back to the best of both worlds that Dhee is in right now, she says that this is the best time to be an independent artist. "I came into the scene when indie music became indie pop. With independent music becoming popular and mainstream, I feel this is the best time to be an independent artist. I am happy that 'Enjoy Enjaami' is one such indie song that broke into the mainstream," she shares as she also notes about the danger of the mainstream subsuming the indie space. "I feel it is the artistic responsibility to preserve the freedom and integrity of independent space. Not just for the sake of creativity, even taking into consideration the business end of things. A lot of investments go into an indie song. I agree that in big markets like India, the system is more powerful than an individual. But the optimist in me says that an individual can still resist the subsuming of indie music into the mainstream."
Speaking of the 'best time,' as much as this time belongs to independent musicians finally gaining the spotlight and getting their due, there is also the danger of artificial intelligence encroaching on music. While Dhee is not being completely dismissive about the usage of AI, she views it as a tool that shouldn't replace human efforts. "This is a very large and broad thing. AI can be helpful as an organisational tool. But we should not let it intrude so much that the joy of creating is lost. Curiosity gives purpose to life. Figuring out things is the joy of living and purpose. Thinking is good. I feel the energy you spend with the idea of creating music is what gives it a soul," she says as she extends her point about original thinking and shares that she also wants to pursue direction. "Storytelling is something I love; it helps me with songwriting. As I create a song, I have the visuals play in my head. I am looking to direct my own videos. I will feel more confident as a creator."
Dhee is a keen observer of the music scene across the world, and she believes that India would do far better than it is today if it gets some of the elemental things right. "There is a very basic thing called 'reading the agreement'. Most of us don't do it, and the artists in the US do it meticulously. Of course, there are different issues in different industries. This is not to put me on a higher pedestal, even though I learned this only after some personal experiences. Hiring a lawyer and poring over the agreement is very important. Boring things are important things. Attending a boring legal meeting is very important to ensure that you do not get exploited," she adds and reveals her upcoming projects, including her indie album. "I have a Telugu song coming up next, I am not so good with the pronunciation though (laughs). But it's a big one, I am eagerly waiting for that one. Also I am creating an album - Jackfruit. The album has folk music elements, and I am excited about that."
