Her soothing voice and soulful rendering is something we looked forwards to and Mali caught up with us for FWD Life

Words by: Roshan D    Featured Image source: Parizad D

Browsing through YouTube, I was looking for something soulful and soothing. Something that is relevant to the weather and something that makes your soul jump high on the ecstasy of music. I hoped on this beautiful girl, with her hair short, the waves did justice to it. Her beautiful eyes expressed the unexpressed emotions and her lips, spoke the unspoken words. Her name echoed in my ears, ‘Mali’ they said, ‘Mali’ she said and ‘Mali’ we said. With the curiosity to know more about her, we caught up on a candid chat about music, life and Mali.

I was listening to your song ‘Walk Away’ and found the lyrics intense. How did the song happen to you? Are the lyrics personally driven out of the emotions that you experienced?

When I first started writing the song, I didn’t actually know what direction it was going to take. I knew that my best friend’s breakup was on my mind, and since I’d been talking to her about it, it almost became as if I was living vicariously through her. Though the idea stems from a place that’s lonely and vulnerable, I wanted to make the strong about strength and independence.

We heard you talk about religions and spirituality. What is your take on them?

I don’t consider myself religious at all. In fact, I’m all the more averse to religion, seeing the damage its doing to our society. I hate that something that was intended to be so pure and personal has become a weapon of deterrence and propaganda.

Picture Courtesy: Soumya Iyer

You are a Malayalee, was born in Chennai and now moved to Mumbai to pursue your career in music. Do you think these cultural influences affect you?

Definitely. Chennai’s culture is quite different from that of Mumbai. Moving here has opened my mind to so many things and I think that’s an experience everyone must have. The most Malayalee thing about me is my love for Kerala food!

Do you think that your band ‘Bass-in-Bridge’ has influenced you in your solo music career? If so, how?

Bass-in bridge was my first foray into the independent music scene. I was still in school when we formed the band, and since I was still at a pretty impressionable age, a lot of experiences I had then shaped my solo career. For instance, since we didn’t have any formal management, we had to be resourceful enough to pitch for gigs and handle bookings on our own and that experience still hold me in good stead today.

Your song ‘No Place Like Home’ was composed over a period of three years and you say that its dearest to you among the others. What do you have to tell us about that song? What was the journey of that song like?

It didn’t take 3 years to compose it – just under an hour! But the song underwent several changes in arrangement over the years. I think this song is the most special to me because it was the first one I ever wrote and it gave me courage to write more. Also, it was an apology to my mom after a fight we had the same morning, where I told her I was dying to leave home and that I’d be much better off on my own – just things a 16 year old might say. But then I instantly regretted everything and poured my heart out into this song. No matter where I am when I sing it, it still takes me back to that rainy night in November, when I sat at the piano and wrote it with a heavy heart.

Picture Courtesy: Soumya Iyer

How do you describe your song writing style? And most of your songs are emotionally driven, where do you think you find inspirations for your songs?

Every time I try to write a song mechanically, it just doesn’t work. My ideas run dry really quickly and I don’t know which direction to take. All my songs are inspired by real life situations, and I’ve used songwriting as a coping mechanism to deal with problems I’ve had in the past. I play around with perspectives a lot – sometimes I write a song about myself in third person or a song about someone else in first person. Each song marks an important chapter or a hurdle I had to cross at some point.

You have done both, playback and indie music. Which one do you like the more and where do you identify yourself?

Definitely indie music. There’s so much more of myself I can bring to the table. Most often, in playback singing, you’re acting as an instrument to carry a music director’s ideas out. Unless you’re co-writing a song, there’s not much creativity involved. Whereas with indie music, you’re more invested the creative process, even though you might not get as much attention or fame from it.

It is said that, when you step out of your comfort zone, you achieve more – you are actually pushed to do things. Do you agree with this statement? Do you step out of your comfort zone when it comes to your music?

I cannot agree more with it! I’m trying my hand at a few collaborations with artists who make completely different music from me. This is teaching me a whole lot more about songwriting and composition. It’s always good to explore different things and ultimately let yourself gravitate towards what comes naturally to you.

It seems to be like the indie pop scene is growing in India. Who are the other artist in this genre that you admire and how is the industry responding to indie pop?

I admire all artists making an effort in this industry, as it’s not an easy job to do. Most people in India still have a preference for listening to covers of popular songs from mainstream artists, but the scene is changing slowly. With every gig one of us plays, and every song/album we release, more and more people are being made aware of home-grown talent and that is helping the community at large. I can’t think of specific artists because my list will be really long!

What does your usual day look like when you are working on a music project?

It really depends. If it involves recording a song, many hours are spent at the studio. Many hours are also spent on the phone and on the internet, doing research and reaching out to people. Since I don’t have a team working with me on this, I have to handle a lot of these operations on my own.

Picture Courtesy: Parizad D

As a fashion statement, what is your go-to street style?

For me comfort is everything. I love a pair of jeans and a well fitted top with a pair of flats.

We see that you have performed for live audiences at various venues. Where did you have the most fun performing and are there any pleasant memories that you’d want to share with us?

I’m humbled to say that I’ve performed at some of the most sought-after venues in the country. Going to a different city for a show is the most fun. I really enjoyed performing at both the Shillong and Pune NH7 Weekenders last year. As a singer-songwriter, big stages and large audiences are a novelty and I have the most fun. But the smaller, more intimate shows are the most engaging, as I can really talk to the audiences and open up to them about my music. It’s even better when there are a few people in the crowd who already know the lyrics to your songs and they sing along to you.

What do you think is the difference between living in Chennai and now in Mumbai? Do you miss Chennai?

I definitely miss Chennai, but I don’t see myself living there again. Mumbai has a lot more going on for an indie artist like me. Sometimes I feel like a misfit in both places – I’m too Chennai to be a Mumbaikar and I’m so used to Mumbai now that I’m no longer considered a Chennai-ite.

When it came to your solo career, you chose to perform under the pseudonym ‘Mali’. Is there a story behind it?

I don’t exactly know how Maalavika became Mali (pronounced ‘mæli’), but for as long as I can remember, that is the nickname my family and friends gave me. So many people stopped calling me Maalavika a long time ago. When it came to finding an artist name for my solo project, I looked no further than my own nickname. Also, it’s much easier for people to spell and pronounce than ‘Maalavika’.