July 31, 2025 • 29 mins
This podcast delves into the multifaceted journey of the esteemed artist Molly, whose evolution transcends mere musical chronology to encompass a profound exploration of her artistic identity. Our primary objective is to garner insights into the essence of Molly as an artist, tracing her formative influences and significant contributions to the music landscape. We examine the intricate tapestry of her experiences, from her early proclivities in Chennai to her ascent in Mumbai’s vibrant music scene, elucidating how her diverse background informs her genre-blending artistry. Through a meticulous analysis of her works, we endeavor to uncover what drives her creativity and the lessons her journey imparts to aspiring artists. By juxtaposing her personal narrative with the broader trends in the music industry, we aim to illuminate the pathways that contemporary artists may traverse in this dynamic landscape.
Who is
She’s not here to follow trends—she’s here to write her own story. Maalavika Manoj, better known as Mali, is the soulful voice behind some of India’s most emotionally honest indie pop. With lyrics that cut deep and melodies that linger long after the song ends, Mali is quietly leading a movement of introspective, fearless music.
From Chennai’s local stages to international recognition at the MTV European Music Awards, her rise has been anything but manufactured. Mali writes from the heart, often about change, identity, and growing up in a fast-moving world—and fans are listening.
In this episode, we explore Mali’s creative journey: how she left the mainstream behind to stay true to her indie roots, how being a woman in the Indian music industry shaped her sound, and why her debut album Caution to the Wind struck such a powerful chord.
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Spotify
- Apple Music
- Black Roof
- Sony Music India
- Sapta
- Anim
- Kappa TV
- Harris Jayaraj
- RJ Arjun Thomas
- Molly
- Ella Fitzgerald
- Danush
- Sid Shrutkar
- Anirud Ravachander
- Tim Cook
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to the deep dive.
We're here to distill a wealthof knowledge.
Getting you informed quicklyand thoroughly.
That's the goal.
Cutting through the noise.
And today we're diving into areally captivating question.
Who is Molly?
Right.
And look, we're not justtracing a timeline for an Indian
singer songwriter, though.
Wow.
Her work covers so much ground.
Different genres, some reallyimpressive achievements.
(00:23):
Shuffling impressive.
But our mission today, it's.
It's deeper than that.
We want to really get underthe skin, understand Molly the artist.
So we'll trace things rightfrom her earliest influences.
You know, the sparks thatstarted it all.
Yeah.
Those formative momentsthrough her big contributions, her
impact on music, and even gether take on where the music industry.
(00:43):
Is heading, which is always fascinating.
What really drives her?
How has she adapted so well?
And, you know, what can we allmaybe learn from her journey?
And that's why this is such agreat deep dive.
We've got some really uniqueinsights here.
We do.
Yeah.
Drawing from her own words,her reflections, but also pairing
that with a solid overview ofher life and career.
(01:04):
Okay.
So it's not just facts and dates.
It's about connecting thedots, seeing how her personal story,
her background, herexperiences, how that all weaves
into her art, her artistic evolution.
Exactly.
It gives you that holisticview, a much richer understanding
of who she is as a musician.
All right, let's do it.
Unpack this.
Starting right at the beginning.
(01:25):
Her formative years, thoseearly sparks, the foundation.
She was born Malavik Namaru,September 16, 1993, in Chennai, Tamil
Nadu.
Right, Chennai.
But what's interesting is herparents are Malayali.
They're from North Malabar.
Okay, so bit of a cultural mixright there.
Yeah.
And for anyone unfamiliar inher Indian name, Manoj is a patronymic.
(01:47):
So she's known by her givenname, Malavika.
Quick clarification.
That detail, the name, theroots, it just gives you a little
window into that multiculturalbackground she grew up in.
And that background, you know,it's compelling.
Even if her music isn'tovertly traditional Indian.
Right.
It's not classical or folk directly.
No.
But growing up in Chennai withMalayali parents, that geography,
(02:09):
that family history, it almostcertainly informs her sensibility
somehow.
Yeah.
Subtly, maybe.
Like an undercurrent.
Exactly.
Like a foundational layer in it.
Gives you this inherentopenness, exposure to different cultural
inputs from day one, which.
Probably helps later when shestarts mixing genres, I think.
So it likely fostered thisappreciation for different textures,
(02:32):
different stories.
It's a quiet, but I thinkreally Significant part of her artistic
DNA.
And building on that, herchildhood home sounds like it was
just full of music.
What's kind of surprising isher parents weren't musicians themselves.
Oh really?
No, but they completelyimmersed her in this like really
eclectic mix.
Lots of 70s and 80s stuff.
Pop, rock, soul, all the classics.
(02:54):
Yeah, the classics.
But also alongside that,electronic music.
Wow, okay, that's quite a combination.
Retro and well, future facingfor the time.
It does sound almostdeliberate, doesn't it?
Like they were trying tocultivate an open musical mind.
Well, whether deliberate ornot, that early diet, that specific
blend, retro and electronic,that feels really crucial for understanding
(03:19):
where she went musically.
How so?
It just lays the groundworkfor her later genre bending.
You know, it fosters this openmindedness towards completely different
sounds, different eras.
She wasn't locked into onething early on.
Right.
Makes you wonder, doesn't it,how much those first sounds we hear
really shape us as artists.
For Molly, it seems like italmost pre programmed her for fluidity,
(03:41):
for experimenting.
And her actual musiceducation, formal and informal, kind
of backs that up.
Okay, so at 5, her parents,parents enrolled her in like everything.
Swimming, partanatiam, piano, drawing.
Wow, busy kid.
Totally.
But out of all that, she madea choice.
She stuck with only piano.
Kept that up until she was 17.
12 years of piano.
That's serious commitment.
It is.
But then around the same timeshe's finishing up with piano.
(04:03):
She just picked up the guitaralmost casually.
Why?
Her reason.
She just thought it looked cool.
Huh.
I love that.
It tells you so much, doesn't it?
What does it tell you?
Well, you've got thediscipline of piano, years of it.
Structured learning, technique.
But then the guitar is pureself driven interest, just passion.
Because it resonated with her somehow.
That balance, structure and pattern.
(04:25):
Exactly.
That duality you see in somany really innovative artists.
Yeah.
And dropping the other thingsfor music, it shows that focus was
already there pretty early on.
What's also pretty amazing andhonestly, something a lot of artists
probably wish they had is howsupportive her parents were about
music.
She said she never had to havea big serious talk.
(04:45):
You know, mom, dad, I want tobe a musician.
No big reveal.
Nope.
She just said basicallythey're happy if I'm doing something
I want and can sustain myselfand be comfortable with a career
in music.
Wow, that is huge.
It really is just thatacceptance, it's.
Profound really, that kind of support.
It gives an artist so muchfreedom, so much confidence.
(05:07):
Takes the pressure off maybe.
Yeah, completely.
Yeah.
It gives you thatpsychological space to Just try things
to experiment, to find yourvoice without worrying about external
judgment or pressure to followa safer path.
Yeah.
That freedom is crucial forauthentic expression.
Truly crucial.
And you get a little glimpseof her confidence really early on
(05:27):
her very first singing performance.
Okay, tell me.
She was 12 at a party and shesang Ella Fitzgerald's Fever.
Bold choice for 12.
Totally.
But get this.
She didn't just sing it.
She changed some of the lyricsright there on the spot.
No way.
Yeah.
She said she changed them tosuit the occasion.
At 12?
Yeah.
(05:48):
That's fascinating.
That's more than just performing.
What do you mean?
Well, it shows performancereadiness, sure.
But changing the lyrics, thatsuggests an innate songwriting instinct.
Even then, an understanding ofhow to adapt, how to make it relevant.
Like an early form of interpretation.
Exactly.
It hints at that creativeconfidence, that willingness to put
her own stamp on things, evenon a classic.
(06:09):
Really insightful little moment.
Her education path and whereshe moved also kind of paints a picture.
Schooling at Sacred HeartMatriculation School in Chennai,
then a Bachelor of BusinessAdministration, a BBA at Loyola College,
also Chennai.
A bba?
Yeah.
Interesting.
Not music?
No, business.
And that degree included ayear in France to finish it up.
(06:32):
Okay.
International experience too.
Yeah.
Then back to Chennai.
But that wasn't the final stopfor music.
She then made the big move.
Where?
To Mumbai to really pursue themusic career full time.
Ah, okay, that makes sense.
Mumbai is the hub and the bba.
That suggests maybe apractical side to her artistic ambition.
Could be a business sense foran independent career.
(06:54):
Yeah, it complements thecreative drive.
Shows she's thinkingstrategically, perhaps.
And the move to Mumbai, well,that's a clear signal.
A very serious commitment.
No longer a hobby.
This is the path, definitely.
And just to bring us right upto date on the personal side, she
got engaged quite recently,late June 2024, to composer Sid Shrutkar.
Oh, nice.
And they're planning to getmarried in February 2025.
(07:16):
So very current news.
That's lovely.
It adds another dimension,doesn't it?
The person behind the artist.
And it's happening right now.
As her career is reallyhitting these new peaks, it grounds
the story.
Okay, so let's shift fromthose early years now into how the
actual career started.
From band competitions to solo success.
(07:37):
The genesis of theprofessional journey.
It seems like a key moment wasback in 2010.
She won best Vocalist atMaithri, a big cultural event.
Okay.
Early recognition.
And that win caught theattention of RJ Arjun Thomas.
Ah, the power of being seen orheard, rather.
Totally.
A bit serendipitous.
Right?
Someone spotting that talent.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
(07:57):
And it highlights that role ofearly validation, doesn't it?
And maybe even mentorship.
How so?
Mentorship?
Well, Arjun Thomas didn't justnotice her.
He suggested she form a bandspecifically for a radio station's
band Hunt.
Oh, right.
That's pivotal.
It takes raw talent and givesit structure, a concrete goal.
It channels the energy.
Those early champions canreally catalyze things.
(08:20):
And that suggestion leddirectly to her first band, Bassin
Bridge.
Formed September 2010.
Bassin Bridge.
I like the place in Chennai.
Exactly.
Playful pun.
The lineup was pretty strong.
Arjun on guitar, Sojitsutya,bass, Leon James keyboards, Molly
vocals, Shashank Vijay, drums.
Solid lineup.
They did well quickly.
(08:41):
Finalists in that Chennai liveband hunt.
Molly called it her claim tofame back then.
Important early milestonestage experience.
Yeah, they played live gigs,but the band itself didn't last long.
Dissolved the same year.
That happens often.
And the members, includingMolly, started heading down their
own solo paths.
Which raises that interesting point.
(09:02):
Right.
So many solo artists start in bands.
Yeah, it's like a training ground.
Exactly.
You hone your stagecraft,learn collaboration, figure out dynamics,
even if it's short lived likethis seemed to be.
And it served its purpose precisely.
A vital stepping stone beforeshe really found her individual artistic
voice.
Seems like a natural progression.
And she moved fast after theband split.
(09:23):
Started getting solo features,collaborations almost immediately.
She was featured on Danush'sSachin anthem in 2012.
Big exposure.
Okay.
Yeah.
Performed at World Music Dayevents, a Christmas show late 2012.
She was definitely active ingetting noticed.
That's fascinating.
Securing features like thateven before her own album dropped.
(09:45):
It just shows that her vocaltalent was already recognized by
the industry.
People wanted that voice ontheir tracks.
It built anticipation for whatshe'd do on her own.
And that led straight to herdebut album, deceptive.
Came out June 2013.
Actually a day early on itunes.
Deceptive.
Okay.
This was also when sheofficially started using the stage
name Molly.
Ah.
(10:05):
The official launch of theMolly Persona.
And the album had like aninternational feel from the start.
Mixed by Anton Pukshansky,who's based in.
The us High production values.
And it featured other artists too.
Ujani Roy, Karthik Iyer,Gautam Karthik, Ed de Gennaro.
A curated project.
Yeah.
That voice of an international mixer.
Plus bringing in diverse musicians.
(10:27):
Yeah, it shows ambition.
Right.
Aiming for a polished, maybeglobally appealing sound from album
one.
Not just a local release.
Definitely.
And how did she describe thealbum's sound?
Yeah, I'm curious.
She called it a mix of stylessuch as jazz, electronic, blues and
so on.
And she used a great analogy.
Like a box of assorted chocolates.
(10:48):
Huh.
Perfect.
Captures that early genre fluidity.
The tracklist had songs likethis one's for you, Deceptive, it's
not the Same, no Place LikeHome, Wannabe and Undefined.
Quite a mix suggested there.
And she said no Place LikeHome was the dearest to her.
A song she worked on for three years.
Three years?
Yeah.
Started when she was just 16.
The whole six song album took15 months to finish.
(11:11):
Wow, that long gestation forno Place Like Home.
It really points to that deeppersonal connection, doesn't it?
Meticulous crafting.
Seems so.
It suggests her songwritingcomes from a really introspective,
emotional place, which isprobably why it connects with people.
And that dedication on thedebut, it really sets the standard
for her future work.
You knew she was serious.
So after that debut, thingsseemed to really pick up pace.
(11:34):
2015 looks like a super activeyear for her.
Okay.
Building momentum.
She performed with Sapta, thatelectroacoustic world music group.
Ah yes, Sapta.
Interesting collaborations there.
Yeah, at different events, butalso showing up in different scenes.
Like the Mercedes Lux Royaleevent, a.
Fashion launch for Anim's man,branching out lifestyle, fashion.
(11:55):
Right.
And she performed Walk away onKappa TV's Music Mojo.
Big platform, getting wider exposure.
Then later that year,November, she teamed up with rapper
Sophia Ashraf and Sapta againfor the song Dean.
Sophia Ashraf.
Okay.
Politically charged stuff often.
And Sapta again.
Yeah.
So this period, it reallyshows her versatility ramping up,
(12:17):
doesn't it?
Moving between indie musicgigs, high end events, TV appearances.
She was everywhere.
And the collaborations,especially with Sapta and Sophia
Ashraf, really underscore thatopenness to mixing genres, working
with different kinds of artists.
She wasn't staying in one lane.
Broadening horizons.
Definitely.
The momentum kept going into 2016.
In January, she joinedsomething called the Diva Collective.
(12:39):
What's that?
It brought together severalChennai based female singers.
Sounds like a cool initiative.
Yeah, that communal aspect is interesting.
Connecting with other women inthe scene.
Then in September 2016, shedropped a new single, Dreaming.
Dreaming.
Okay.
Setting the stage forsomething bigger.
Seems like it.
Because that led into her nextmajor release, the five track EP
(13:01):
Rush came out January 27, 2017.
Rush EP and Dreaming was on it.
Yep, included on the EP.
And this is where things getreally interesting, critically speaking.
How so?
The title track, Rush, RollingStone India ranked it number two
on their list of 10 bestIndian singles of 2017.
Wow.
Number two.
That's huge critical acclaim.
(13:21):
Massive validation, right?
Absolutely.
It shows her evolving sound,her songwriting.
It wasn't just getting noticed.
It was being ranked among thevery best in the country's independent
scene.
That's a serious marker of hergrowing impact and maturity as an
artist.
And she kept that momentumgoing through 2017, 2018, releasing
music that really showcasedher range.
Like what?
February 2017, Sony MusicIndia released a duet single, Anu
(13:45):
Magala.
Sony, a major label release.
Yeah, a duet with AnirudRavachander, whose name.
Massive.
Okay.
That's a big mainstream play.
Smart move for Reach.
Then contrast that.
April 2018, she releases hersingle Play.
Play.
What was special about that one?
It featured her grandfather.
Her grandfather doing what?
Playing the harmonica.
He was 79 at the time.
(14:06):
Mc Ramahan, get out.
That's incredible.
So personal, isn't it?
So heartwarming.
That's what's so fascinatingabout this period.
The range is just huge.
A major label pop duet oneminute than this deeply personal,
unique track with her grandpathe next.
Shows versatility.
More than that, I think Playreally highlights her willingness
(14:26):
to weave her personal story,her family, right into the fabric
of her music.
It makes it so relatable, so authentic.
It makes you think, how doartists navigate sharing those personal
parts of their lives?
She does it beautifully here.
She followed that up withmango showers in August 2019, keeping
the singles coming, steady output.
But then March 2020, a reallymajor career moment.
(14:49):
She got selected for Spotify'sradar program.
Ah, the radar program.
That's a significant boost globally.
Huge, right?
How much did that actually help?
Do we know?
Well, Molly herself called ita big honor to be taken seriously
by Spotify like that.
She said it gave her a hugeshot in the arm.
How?
More streams, definitely.
She noticed lots of new peoplelistening, just out of curiosity.
(15:11):
Because she was featured,Spotify actively promoted her, got
her involved in things.
Basically gave her, in herwords, more voice, more of an audience,
a platform.
Wow.
It just perfectly shows howvital these digital platforms are
now for independent artists.
They offer reach that wasunimaginable before.
(15:31):
It's a game changer.
And right after that, Spotify News.
April 2020, she released ageof Limbo.
The first single from heralbum Caution to the Wind.
Exactly.
And the timing was uncanny,wasn't it?
Yeah.
The album was mostly donebefore the.
Pandemic hit, but Age of Limbojust felt like it captured that early
Pandemic, feeling theconfusion, the uncertainty.
It really did.
It resonated in a way.
(15:52):
She Couldn't have predicted.
Which speaks to how art canconnect with the collective experience,
right?
Definitely.
And the video for it too.
She crowdsourced clips frompeople all over.
The world during lockdown,which was incredibly resourceful.
Turning a limitation not beingable to shoot normally into this
global collaborative thing.
Creative problem solving atits best.
Her profile just kept rising.
(16:14):
February 2021, she lands onIndia's Forbes 30 under 30 list.
Huge recognition.
Solidifies her status as amajor young talent.
And then finally, the fullalbum, Caution to the wind dropped
in April 2021.
Bringing that whole creativecycle, which started with Age of
Limbo and the Radar boost, toits culmination.
A major statement piece.
(16:35):
Then 2023 rolled around andwow, what a year for visibility.
Seems like she was everywhere.
Pretty much played the firstever Lollapalooza.
India in Mumbai, massivefestival stage.
Performed at the opening ofthe Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Center.
Huge cultural event, very high profile.
And this is pretty unique.
She got picked to representApple Music India and actually show
(16:57):
her music making process toTim Cook when he visited.
India, meeting the Apple CEOto demo her work.
That's incredible access andrecognition for an independent artist.
Right, and she was also in aAkoda India commercial.
So major festivals, culturallandmarks, tech giants, national
advertising.
Yeah, that's a serious leap,isn't it?
Moving beyond just the indiemusic circuit onto these huge national
(17:19):
and even international stages.
It shows her appeal isincredibly broad.
And the culminationinternationally at least came with
the EMAs nominated in 2023 forBest India act.
And then she won it in 2024MTV Europe Music Award for Best Indian
Act.
That's monumental.
Yeah, just monumental.
Not just for her, but forIndian independent music overall.
(17:42):
So because winning a majorinternational award like that, it
puts a global spotlight onartists outside the Bollywood mainstream.
It says, look at the talentcoming from India's independent scene.
It challenges perceptions andopens doors.
It's proof that indie artistscan compete and win on the world
stage.
A huge validation.
Okay, so we've seen the careerpath, the milestones.
(18:02):
Let's dig into the art itself.
Now, her musical style, whatinspires her.
At the heart of it all, she.
Said that her songwritingoften comes from a place of melancholy.
Interesting.
Not upbeat pop necessarily, no.
She even describedoverthinking as maybe a weakness
or maybe a strength.
And writing it down is herbest form of closure.
Like literally crying to yourfriend when you are sad.
(18:23):
Wow, that's quite a visual andvery revealing.
Yeah, it suggests she reallytransforms that emotional intensity.
That introspection directlyinto her music, it's not just crafting
a song, it's processing lifethrough art.
A form of therapy, maybe?
Could be.
And that authenticity, thatvulnerability, is probably why it
resonates so deeply with listeners.
It feels real because it is real.
(18:45):
For her, it makes you ponderthat age old question, does profound
art often come from exploringthose deeper, sometimes darker emotions?
For her, it seems central.
And her influences?
Yeah.
Wow.
The list is incredibly diverse.
It really shows that spice mixidea in action.
Okay, lay it on me.
Who's on the list?
All right, ready?
Skrillex, Hillsong.
Okay.
EDM and Christian Contemporary.
(19:07):
Unexpected Start, AR Rahman,Alanis Morissette, Stevie.
Nicks, Indian legend, alt rockicon, folk rock queen.
Okay.
Joss Stone, Nora Jones, KatieMalua, Ella Fitzgerald.
Soul jazz, pop jazz.
The first lady of song herself.
A Coors, Savage Garden,Backstreet Boys, Abba.
(19:28):
Celtic pop rock, Aussie popduo, iconic boy bands, Swedish pop
gods.
Yeah, that is genuinely allover the map, isn't it?
A true melting pot.
She also said her realinspiration comes from situations
or feelings that really strikea chord deep inside me.
Like big life changes, moving breakups.
That eclectic list, itexplains so much about her sound,
(19:49):
doesn't it?
Pulling from electronic rock,pop, jazz, even gospel.
It's why she can't be easily pigeonholed.
She refuses to be boxed in completely.
And grounding in all thosedeeply personal feelings and experiences.
That's the core.
Its authentic expressionfueled by an incredibly wide range
of musical loves.
Now, besides her mainindependent work, she also does film
(20:09):
music, right?
Mainly in Tamil.
Ah yes, the playback singing side.
Common in India.
Yeah, she kind of downplaysher first one, Come on Girls in 2012.
But she sung on quite a fewnotable tracks.
Buzkai yin, Andral in 2013.
Hi, my name is Malini in 2014.
Okay, building a filmography.
Then she took a little break,but came back with Harris Jayaraj
songs in 2016.
(20:30):
Irumugan Satai, he's My Hero,another big name.
And more recently, Manzurianfemale in 2022 and you and me in
2023.
That dual path.
Indie artist and playback singer.
It's interesting how shebalances it.
How do you see it?
Well, the film work obviouslyexpands her reach massively.
(20:52):
Introduces her to a wholedifferent audience.
It shows her versatility asjust a pure vocalist, but she still
maintains that strongindependent identity.
It's like she operatessuccessfully in both worlds.
And that story about singingfor Bodhai.
Do, the one with man of Manzurian.
Yeah.
She said yes during thepandemic without even knowing what
the film was about, then gotreally excited when she found out
(21:13):
about its LGBTQ thing.
Cricket, just her openness,her progressive mindset and, you
know, got a lot of peoplehearing her sing in Hindi for the
first time, which was cool.
Added another layer.
And she's not just expressedherself through music, she's done
speaking engagements too.
Oh yeah?
Like what?
She spoke at TEDx Youth atChennai way back in 2012 and at Ventura
2013.
(21:33):
An international business plan competition.
A TEDx and a business competition.
Right.
Interesting.
Yeah.
It shows she's more than justa musician.
Right.
She has ideas, she canarticulate them.
It points to that capacity forbroader thought leadership.
Adds another dimension to herpublic Persona.
Definitely.
It enriches her influencebeyond just the songs themselves.
(21:53):
Shows she's a thinker as wellas a creator.
Okay, let's switch gears nowto her views on the music industry
itself because she has somereally sharp observations, especially
given her journey.
Yeah, her perspective must be valuable.
What trends does she see?
Well, she sees a huge shifttowards artists just doing everything
on their own.
The DIY movement.
Exactly.
(22:14):
She contrasts it with, say, adecade ago when everyone was asking,
how do I get signed to a label?
Right.
That was the main goal then.
Now she finds it reallyinteresting how artists are taking
control, getting creative withreleases, with branding.
And the implications of thatare massive, aren't they?
In what way?
More artistic control, obviously.
Power shifting away from thetraditional gatekeepers, artists
(22:36):
building their own brands,connecting directly with fans, empowering
for the artist and forlisteners too.
You get more diverse music,stuff that doesn't have to fit a
label's mold.
It's a decentralization of power.
She also mentioned somethingabout genres.
Yeah.
What's her take?
That the idea of a genre isstarting to exist.
Less people are crossinggenres, styles, even languages, much
(22:59):
more freely.
The spice mix she talked about.
Exactly.
She calls it a reallyinteresting story.
Spice mix of a spacemusically, which.
Perfectly captures the currentvibe, doesn't it?
It reflects this globalized,hyper connected world where artists
just absorb everything andaren't bound by old categories.
It makes things more exciting.
Totally.
And it aligns perfectly withher own music, which has always been
(23:21):
hard to pin down to one genre.
She's living that trend.
Another trend she's reallyexcited about is seeing more women
in the market in the last fiveyears or so.
Oh, definitely.
Positive shift.
But she specificallyhighlighted it's not just singers
and songwriter.
Right, that's important.
But also instrumentalists,more producers, Engineers, people
in the technical side of music.
(23:42):
Yes, that's such a crucial point.
Her focusing on the technical,behind the scenes roles too.
Why is that so significant?
Because true representation,true parody means having women involved
at every stage of the process.
Production, engineering, mixing.
Those areas have historicallybeen very male dominated.
(24:02):
Seeing more women breakthrough there is vital for a genuinely
equitable and frankly moreinteresting and diverse music scene.
Overall, it brings differentperspectives to the sound itself.
Of course, with all this musicbeing made, there's the flip side.
Saturation, listener attentionspans, paradox of choice.
Yeah.
Molly acknowledges that.
(24:22):
She said the problem is notabout the quality.
Sometimes it's the attentionspan of listeners.
Good music might get lost in,in the noise.
It's a real challenge.
People are spoiled for choiceas you put it, especially on big
release days.
But she pushes back on theidea that quality is dropping.
She insists artists always putour best.
Foot forward and I thinkthat's true.
It's just harder to cut through.
(24:42):
It raises that big question,how do artists stand out now?
And how do listeners find thegems amidst the flood?
It's tough.
But her point about artistsstill striving for quality is key.
The commitment is still thereand inevitably.
You have to talk about socialmedia and digital platforms.
Can't avoid it.
What's her stance?
Pretty pragmatic.
(25:04):
She says whether we like it ornot, that's just how it's going to
be.
Trying to avoid it or dismissit means you're missing the shift,
accepting the reality.
Yeah.
She sees it as a new outlet, aplace for discovery, connection.
It's the new normal, she saysit's here to stay and we'll just
keep evolving.
Artists aren't just relying onprint or TV anymore.
Even music videos are changing format.
(25:25):
It's a profound shift, isn't it?
Total democratization ofdistribution, direct fan engagement.
Social media is the new bridge.
Exactly.
Promotion tool, communication channel.
It fundamentally changes theartist audience dynamic.
It empowers artists like herto build a global following independently.
Embracing it is almostessential now, given.
All that digital focus.
(25:46):
It's interesting to hear hertalk about physical releases like
vinyl.
Oh yeah.
Is she a vinyl collector?
She admits she grew up morewith cassettes and CDs, but her granddad
had a huge vinyl collection.
Ah, the family connection again.
Yeah.
And she was always intriguedby the art on the big covers.
She only started collectingvinyl herself in the last five years
(26:07):
and she actually inherited hergrandparents collection.
That's lovely.
A legacy.
So when it came to her album,Caution to the Wind, getting it pressed
on Vinyl was part of the plan.
She jumped the opportunitywhen a company called Black Roof
reached out.
And why?
Vinyl's for her.
She felt her music had thisretro future sound that just lent
(26:28):
itself well to vinyl.
Making that first physicalrelease felt like a cool achievement.
It's fascinating, isn't it?
For an artist of the digitalgeneration, it's partly nostalgia,
partly aesthetics, partlyoffering something tangible in a
streaming world.
A statement piece.
Exactly.
It's appreciating the whole package.
The sound, the art, thephysical object.
(26:50):
And for her, it ties backbeautifully to her granddad's collection.
A real full circle moment.
So, looking ahead, what areher fears as an artist and what are
her plans?
Always interesting to hearabout the future.
What's the biggest fear?
Her music becoming stale ornot very interesting anymore or sounding
like just rearrangements ofold ideas getting pigeonholed?
(27:14):
Ah, the classic artist's fear.
How to evolve without losingyour identity or repeating yourself.
Right, that tension.
It's that constant struggle,isn't it?
Innovation versus recognition.
But that fear is probably whatkeeps her pushing, experimenting.
It's a powerful motivator for growth.
Shows her artistic integrityand her plans for releases.
(27:34):
Touring.
Yeah.
What's next?
Well, she mentioned doing theTrifecta EP singles album.
So now maybe more singles fora bit.
An album eventually.
Maybe when I'm ready for it again.
Strategic release cycle.
Keep the momentum going with singles.
Touring wise.
She wants to tour more Indiaand internationally.
And she specifically wants aband tour.
Soon because she couldn'treally do one for the album during
(27:55):
the Pandemic.
Exactly.
She missed that full bandexperience on the road for Caution
to the Wind.
Makes sense, that collective energy.
And she's really keen on more collaborations.
Even put out an open call likeHit Me up.
Yeah, love that openness.
Ready to mix it up.
And she hinted at new musiccoming soon.
Sad singles, sad songs, not sosad songs, a Tamil song and other
(28:18):
surprise stuff.
Okay, so lots in the pipeline.
It shows a clear strategy forreleases, a hunger for live performance,
especially with a band, and areal desire to keep collaborating
and exploring.
She's definitely not standing still.
And that really wraps up ourdeep dive into Mali.
From that curious kid inChennai soaked in all kinds of music
with that amazing parentalsupport to this award winning independent
(28:41):
force in Mumbai.
Her journey just screamsversatility, deep emotional connection
and a really sharpunderstanding of the music world
today.
Absolutely.
She really embodies thatmodern artist, adaptable, authentic.
Navigating these newlandscapes with real creativity.
She does.
Her story isn't just about herit's kind of a blueprint, isn't it?
(29:02):
Showing resilience, vision.
So thinking about how sheembraces her personal story, mixes
all those influences, usesthese digital tools, it leaves you
wondering, right?
Wondering what?
What does her success reallytell us about where independent music
is going?
How can artists truly connectglobally when there's just so much
information out there?
Molly's figured out a way.
(29:23):
Her journey, her choices.
Maybe they offer some cluesfor anyone pursuing their own passion,
their own path in thisconstantly changing world we're all
navigating.
Makes you think, doesn't it?
Welcome to the deep dive.
We're here to distill a wealthof knowledge.
Getting you informed quicklyand thoroughly.
That's the goal.
Cutting through the noise.
And today we're diving into areally captivating question.
Who is Molly?
Right.
And look, we're not justtracing a timeline for an Indian
singer songwriter, though.
Wow.
Her work covers so much ground.
Different genres, some reallyimpressive achievements.
(00:23):
Shuffling impressive.
But our mission today, it's.
It's deeper than that.
We want to really get underthe skin, understand Molly the artist.
So we'll trace things rightfrom her earliest influences.
You know, the sparks thatstarted it all.
Yeah.
Those formative momentsthrough her big contributions, her
impact on music, and even gether take on where the music industry.
(00:43):
Is heading, which is always fascinating.
What really drives her?
How has she adapted so well?
And, you know, what can we allmaybe learn from her journey?
And that's why this is such agreat deep dive.
We've got some really uniqueinsights here.
We do.
Yeah.
Drawing from her own words,her reflections, but also pairing
that with a solid overview ofher life and career.
(01:04):
Okay.
So it's not just facts and dates.
It's about connecting thedots, seeing how her personal story,
her background, herexperiences, how that all weaves
into her art, her artistic evolution.
Exactly.
It gives you that holisticview, a much richer understanding
of who she is as a musician.
All right, let's do it.
Unpack this.
Starting right at the beginning.
(01:25):
Her formative years, thoseearly sparks, the foundation.
She was born Malavik Namaru,September 16, 1993, in Chennai, Tamil
Nadu.
Right, Chennai.
But what's interesting is herparents are Malayali.
They're from North Malabar.
Okay, so bit of a cultural mixright there.
Yeah.
And for anyone unfamiliar inher Indian name, Manoj is a patronymic.
(01:47):
So she's known by her givenname, Malavika.
Quick clarification.
That detail, the name, theroots, it just gives you a little
window into that multiculturalbackground she grew up in.
And that background, you know,it's compelling.
Even if her music isn'tovertly traditional Indian.
Right.
It's not classical or folk directly.
No.
But growing up in Chennai withMalayali parents, that geography,
(02:09):
that family history, it almostcertainly informs her sensibility
somehow.
Yeah.
Subtly, maybe.
Like an undercurrent.
Exactly.
Like a foundational layer in it.
Gives you this inherentopenness, exposure to different cultural
inputs from day one, which.
Probably helps later when shestarts mixing genres, I think.
So it likely fostered thisappreciation for different textures,
(02:32):
different stories.
It's a quiet, but I thinkreally Significant part of her artistic
DNA.
And building on that, herchildhood home sounds like it was
just full of music.
What's kind of surprising isher parents weren't musicians themselves.
Oh really?
No, but they completelyimmersed her in this like really
eclectic mix.
Lots of 70s and 80s stuff.
Pop, rock, soul, all the classics.
(02:54):
Yeah, the classics.
But also alongside that,electronic music.
Wow, okay, that's quite a combination.
Retro and well, future facingfor the time.
It does sound almostdeliberate, doesn't it?
Like they were trying tocultivate an open musical mind.
Well, whether deliberate ornot, that early diet, that specific
blend, retro and electronic,that feels really crucial for understanding
(03:19):
where she went musically.
How so?
It just lays the groundworkfor her later genre bending.
You know, it fosters this openmindedness towards completely different
sounds, different eras.
She wasn't locked into onething early on.
Right.
Makes you wonder, doesn't it,how much those first sounds we hear
really shape us as artists.
For Molly, it seems like italmost pre programmed her for fluidity,
(03:41):
for experimenting.
And her actual musiceducation, formal and informal, kind
of backs that up.
Okay, so at 5, her parents,parents enrolled her in like everything.
Swimming, partanatiam, piano, drawing.
Wow, busy kid.
Totally.
But out of all that, she madea choice.
She stuck with only piano.
Kept that up until she was 17.
12 years of piano.
That's serious commitment.
It is.
But then around the same timeshe's finishing up with piano.
(04:03):
She just picked up the guitaralmost casually.
Why?
Her reason.
She just thought it looked cool.
Huh.
I love that.
It tells you so much, doesn't it?
What does it tell you?
Well, you've got thediscipline of piano, years of it.
Structured learning, technique.
But then the guitar is pureself driven interest, just passion.
Because it resonated with her somehow.
That balance, structure and pattern.
(04:25):
Exactly.
That duality you see in somany really innovative artists.
Yeah.
And dropping the other thingsfor music, it shows that focus was
already there pretty early on.
What's also pretty amazing andhonestly, something a lot of artists
probably wish they had is howsupportive her parents were about
music.
She said she never had to havea big serious talk.
(04:45):
You know, mom, dad, I want tobe a musician.
No big reveal.
Nope.
She just said basicallythey're happy if I'm doing something
I want and can sustain myselfand be comfortable with a career
in music.
Wow, that is huge.
It really is just thatacceptance, it's.
Profound really, that kind of support.
It gives an artist so muchfreedom, so much confidence.
(05:07):
Takes the pressure off maybe.
Yeah, completely.
Yeah.
It gives you thatpsychological space to Just try things
to experiment, to find yourvoice without worrying about external
judgment or pressure to followa safer path.
Yeah.
That freedom is crucial forauthentic expression.
Truly crucial.
And you get a little glimpseof her confidence really early on
(05:27):
her very first singing performance.
Okay, tell me.
She was 12 at a party and shesang Ella Fitzgerald's Fever.
Bold choice for 12.
Totally.
But get this.
She didn't just sing it.
She changed some of the lyricsright there on the spot.
No way.
Yeah.
She said she changed them tosuit the occasion.
At 12?
Yeah.
(05:48):
That's fascinating.
That's more than just performing.
What do you mean?
Well, it shows performancereadiness, sure.
But changing the lyrics, thatsuggests an innate songwriting instinct.
Even then, an understanding ofhow to adapt, how to make it relevant.
Like an early form of interpretation.
Exactly.
It hints at that creativeconfidence, that willingness to put
her own stamp on things, evenon a classic.
(06:09):
Really insightful little moment.
Her education path and whereshe moved also kind of paints a picture.
Schooling at Sacred HeartMatriculation School in Chennai,
then a Bachelor of BusinessAdministration, a BBA at Loyola College,
also Chennai.
A bba?
Yeah.
Interesting.
Not music?
No, business.
And that degree included ayear in France to finish it up.
(06:32):
Okay.
International experience too.
Yeah.
Then back to Chennai.
But that wasn't the final stopfor music.
She then made the big move.
Where?
To Mumbai to really pursue themusic career full time.
Ah, okay, that makes sense.
Mumbai is the hub and the bba.
That suggests maybe apractical side to her artistic ambition.
Could be a business sense foran independent career.
(06:54):
Yeah, it complements thecreative drive.
Shows she's thinkingstrategically, perhaps.
And the move to Mumbai, well,that's a clear signal.
A very serious commitment.
No longer a hobby.
This is the path, definitely.
And just to bring us right upto date on the personal side, she
got engaged quite recently,late June 2024, to composer Sid Shrutkar.
Oh, nice.
And they're planning to getmarried in February 2025.
(07:16):
So very current news.
That's lovely.
It adds another dimension,doesn't it?
The person behind the artist.
And it's happening right now.
As her career is reallyhitting these new peaks, it grounds
the story.
Okay, so let's shift fromthose early years now into how the
actual career started.
From band competitions to solo success.
(07:37):
The genesis of theprofessional journey.
It seems like a key moment wasback in 2010.
She won best Vocalist atMaithri, a big cultural event.
Okay.
Early recognition.
And that win caught theattention of RJ Arjun Thomas.
Ah, the power of being seen orheard, rather.
Totally.
A bit serendipitous.
Right?
Someone spotting that talent.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
(07:57):
And it highlights that role ofearly validation, doesn't it?
And maybe even mentorship.
How so?
Mentorship?
Well, Arjun Thomas didn't justnotice her.
He suggested she form a bandspecifically for a radio station's
band Hunt.
Oh, right.
That's pivotal.
It takes raw talent and givesit structure, a concrete goal.
It channels the energy.
Those early champions canreally catalyze things.
(08:20):
And that suggestion leddirectly to her first band, Bassin
Bridge.
Formed September 2010.
Bassin Bridge.
I like the place in Chennai.
Exactly.
Playful pun.
The lineup was pretty strong.
Arjun on guitar, Sojitsutya,bass, Leon James keyboards, Molly
vocals, Shashank Vijay, drums.
Solid lineup.
They did well quickly.
(08:41):
Finalists in that Chennai liveband hunt.
Molly called it her claim tofame back then.
Important early milestonestage experience.
Yeah, they played live gigs,but the band itself didn't last long.
Dissolved the same year.
That happens often.
And the members, includingMolly, started heading down their
own solo paths.
Which raises that interesting point.
(09:02):
Right.
So many solo artists start in bands.
Yeah, it's like a training ground.
Exactly.
You hone your stagecraft,learn collaboration, figure out dynamics,
even if it's short lived likethis seemed to be.
And it served its purpose precisely.
A vital stepping stone beforeshe really found her individual artistic
voice.
Seems like a natural progression.
And she moved fast after theband split.
(09:23):
Started getting solo features,collaborations almost immediately.
She was featured on Danush'sSachin anthem in 2012.
Big exposure.
Okay.
Yeah.
Performed at World Music Dayevents, a Christmas show late 2012.
She was definitely active ingetting noticed.
That's fascinating.
Securing features like thateven before her own album dropped.
(09:45):
It just shows that her vocaltalent was already recognized by
the industry.
People wanted that voice ontheir tracks.
It built anticipation for whatshe'd do on her own.
And that led straight to herdebut album, deceptive.
Came out June 2013.
Actually a day early on itunes.
Deceptive.
Okay.
This was also when sheofficially started using the stage
name Molly.
Ah.
(10:05):
The official launch of theMolly Persona.
And the album had like aninternational feel from the start.
Mixed by Anton Pukshansky,who's based in.
The us High production values.
And it featured other artists too.
Ujani Roy, Karthik Iyer,Gautam Karthik, Ed de Gennaro.
A curated project.
Yeah.
That voice of an international mixer.
Plus bringing in diverse musicians.
(10:27):
Yeah, it shows ambition.
Right.
Aiming for a polished, maybeglobally appealing sound from album
one.
Not just a local release.
Definitely.
And how did she describe thealbum's sound?
Yeah, I'm curious.
She called it a mix of stylessuch as jazz, electronic, blues and
so on.
And she used a great analogy.
Like a box of assorted chocolates.
(10:48):
Huh.
Perfect.
Captures that early genre fluidity.
The tracklist had songs likethis one's for you, Deceptive, it's
not the Same, no Place LikeHome, Wannabe and Undefined.
Quite a mix suggested there.
And she said no Place LikeHome was the dearest to her.
A song she worked on for three years.
Three years?
Yeah.
Started when she was just 16.
The whole six song album took15 months to finish.
(11:11):
Wow, that long gestation forno Place Like Home.
It really points to that deeppersonal connection, doesn't it?
Meticulous crafting.
Seems so.
It suggests her songwritingcomes from a really introspective,
emotional place, which isprobably why it connects with people.
And that dedication on thedebut, it really sets the standard
for her future work.
You knew she was serious.
So after that debut, thingsseemed to really pick up pace.
(11:34):
2015 looks like a super activeyear for her.
Okay.
Building momentum.
She performed with Sapta, thatelectroacoustic world music group.
Ah yes, Sapta.
Interesting collaborations there.
Yeah, at different events, butalso showing up in different scenes.
Like the Mercedes Lux Royaleevent, a.
Fashion launch for Anim's man,branching out lifestyle, fashion.
(11:55):
Right.
And she performed Walk away onKappa TV's Music Mojo.
Big platform, getting wider exposure.
Then later that year,November, she teamed up with rapper
Sophia Ashraf and Sapta againfor the song Dean.
Sophia Ashraf.
Okay.
Politically charged stuff often.
And Sapta again.
Yeah.
So this period, it reallyshows her versatility ramping up,
(12:17):
doesn't it?
Moving between indie musicgigs, high end events, TV appearances.
She was everywhere.
And the collaborations,especially with Sapta and Sophia
Ashraf, really underscore thatopenness to mixing genres, working
with different kinds of artists.
She wasn't staying in one lane.
Broadening horizons.
Definitely.
The momentum kept going into 2016.
In January, she joinedsomething called the Diva Collective.
(12:39):
What's that?
It brought together severalChennai based female singers.
Sounds like a cool initiative.
Yeah, that communal aspect is interesting.
Connecting with other women inthe scene.
Then in September 2016, shedropped a new single, Dreaming.
Dreaming.
Okay.
Setting the stage forsomething bigger.
Seems like it.
Because that led into her nextmajor release, the five track EP
(13:01):
Rush came out January 27, 2017.
Rush EP and Dreaming was on it.
Yep, included on the EP.
And this is where things getreally interesting, critically speaking.
How so?
The title track, Rush, RollingStone India ranked it number two
on their list of 10 bestIndian singles of 2017.
Wow.
Number two.
That's huge critical acclaim.
(13:21):
Massive validation, right?
Absolutely.
It shows her evolving sound,her songwriting.
It wasn't just getting noticed.
It was being ranked among thevery best in the country's independent
scene.
That's a serious marker of hergrowing impact and maturity as an
artist.
And she kept that momentumgoing through 2017, 2018, releasing
music that really showcasedher range.
Like what?
February 2017, Sony MusicIndia released a duet single, Anu
(13:45):
Magala.
Sony, a major label release.
Yeah, a duet with AnirudRavachander, whose name.
Massive.
Okay.
That's a big mainstream play.
Smart move for Reach.
Then contrast that.
April 2018, she releases hersingle Play.
Play.
What was special about that one?
It featured her grandfather.
Her grandfather doing what?
Playing the harmonica.
He was 79 at the time.
(14:06):
Mc Ramahan, get out.
That's incredible.
So personal, isn't it?
So heartwarming.
That's what's so fascinatingabout this period.
The range is just huge.
A major label pop duet oneminute than this deeply personal,
unique track with her grandpathe next.
Shows versatility.
More than that, I think Playreally highlights her willingness
(14:26):
to weave her personal story,her family, right into the fabric
of her music.
It makes it so relatable, so authentic.
It makes you think, how doartists navigate sharing those personal
parts of their lives?
She does it beautifully here.
She followed that up withmango showers in August 2019, keeping
the singles coming, steady output.
But then March 2020, a reallymajor career moment.
(14:49):
She got selected for Spotify'sradar program.
Ah, the radar program.
That's a significant boost globally.
Huge, right?
How much did that actually help?
Do we know?
Well, Molly herself called ita big honor to be taken seriously
by Spotify like that.
She said it gave her a hugeshot in the arm.
How?
More streams, definitely.
She noticed lots of new peoplelistening, just out of curiosity.
(15:11):
Because she was featured,Spotify actively promoted her, got
her involved in things.
Basically gave her, in herwords, more voice, more of an audience,
a platform.
Wow.
It just perfectly shows howvital these digital platforms are
now for independent artists.
They offer reach that wasunimaginable before.
(15:31):
It's a game changer.
And right after that, Spotify News.
April 2020, she released ageof Limbo.
The first single from heralbum Caution to the Wind.
Exactly.
And the timing was uncanny,wasn't it?
Yeah.
The album was mostly donebefore the.
Pandemic hit, but Age of Limbojust felt like it captured that early
Pandemic, feeling theconfusion, the uncertainty.
It really did.
It resonated in a way.
(15:52):
She Couldn't have predicted.
Which speaks to how art canconnect with the collective experience,
right?
Definitely.
And the video for it too.
She crowdsourced clips frompeople all over.
The world during lockdown,which was incredibly resourceful.
Turning a limitation not beingable to shoot normally into this
global collaborative thing.
Creative problem solving atits best.
Her profile just kept rising.
(16:14):
February 2021, she lands onIndia's Forbes 30 under 30 list.
Huge recognition.
Solidifies her status as amajor young talent.
And then finally, the fullalbum, Caution to the wind dropped
in April 2021.
Bringing that whole creativecycle, which started with Age of
Limbo and the Radar boost, toits culmination.
A major statement piece.
(16:35):
Then 2023 rolled around andwow, what a year for visibility.
Seems like she was everywhere.
Pretty much played the firstever Lollapalooza.
India in Mumbai, massivefestival stage.
Performed at the opening ofthe Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Center.
Huge cultural event, very high profile.
And this is pretty unique.
She got picked to representApple Music India and actually show
(16:57):
her music making process toTim Cook when he visited.
India, meeting the Apple CEOto demo her work.
That's incredible access andrecognition for an independent artist.
Right, and she was also in aAkoda India commercial.
So major festivals, culturallandmarks, tech giants, national
advertising.
Yeah, that's a serious leap,isn't it?
Moving beyond just the indiemusic circuit onto these huge national
(17:19):
and even international stages.
It shows her appeal isincredibly broad.
And the culminationinternationally at least came with
the EMAs nominated in 2023 forBest India act.
And then she won it in 2024MTV Europe Music Award for Best Indian
Act.
That's monumental.
Yeah, just monumental.
Not just for her, but forIndian independent music overall.
(17:42):
So because winning a majorinternational award like that, it
puts a global spotlight onartists outside the Bollywood mainstream.
It says, look at the talentcoming from India's independent scene.
It challenges perceptions andopens doors.
It's proof that indie artistscan compete and win on the world
stage.
A huge validation.
Okay, so we've seen the careerpath, the milestones.
(18:02):
Let's dig into the art itself.
Now, her musical style, whatinspires her.
At the heart of it all, she.
Said that her songwritingoften comes from a place of melancholy.
Interesting.
Not upbeat pop necessarily, no.
She even describedoverthinking as maybe a weakness
or maybe a strength.
And writing it down is herbest form of closure.
Like literally crying to yourfriend when you are sad.
(18:23):
Wow, that's quite a visual andvery revealing.
Yeah, it suggests she reallytransforms that emotional intensity.
That introspection directlyinto her music, it's not just crafting
a song, it's processing lifethrough art.
A form of therapy, maybe?
Could be.
And that authenticity, thatvulnerability, is probably why it
resonates so deeply with listeners.
It feels real because it is real.
(18:45):
For her, it makes you ponderthat age old question, does profound
art often come from exploringthose deeper, sometimes darker emotions?
For her, it seems central.
And her influences?
Yeah.
Wow.
The list is incredibly diverse.
It really shows that spice mixidea in action.
Okay, lay it on me.
Who's on the list?
All right, ready?
Skrillex, Hillsong.
Okay.
EDM and Christian Contemporary.
(19:07):
Unexpected Start, AR Rahman,Alanis Morissette, Stevie.
Nicks, Indian legend, alt rockicon, folk rock queen.
Okay.
Joss Stone, Nora Jones, KatieMalua, Ella Fitzgerald.
Soul jazz, pop jazz.
The first lady of song herself.
A Coors, Savage Garden,Backstreet Boys, Abba.
(19:28):
Celtic pop rock, Aussie popduo, iconic boy bands, Swedish pop
gods.
Yeah, that is genuinely allover the map, isn't it?
A true melting pot.
She also said her realinspiration comes from situations
or feelings that really strikea chord deep inside me.
Like big life changes, moving breakups.
That eclectic list, itexplains so much about her sound,
(19:49):
doesn't it?
Pulling from electronic rock,pop, jazz, even gospel.
It's why she can't be easily pigeonholed.
She refuses to be boxed in completely.
And grounding in all thosedeeply personal feelings and experiences.
That's the core.
Its authentic expressionfueled by an incredibly wide range
of musical loves.
Now, besides her mainindependent work, she also does film
(20:09):
music, right?
Mainly in Tamil.
Ah yes, the playback singing side.
Common in India.
Yeah, she kind of downplaysher first one, Come on Girls in 2012.
But she sung on quite a fewnotable tracks.
Buzkai yin, Andral in 2013.
Hi, my name is Malini in 2014.
Okay, building a filmography.
Then she took a little break,but came back with Harris Jayaraj
songs in 2016.
(20:30):
Irumugan Satai, he's My Hero,another big name.
And more recently, Manzurianfemale in 2022 and you and me in
2023.
That dual path.
Indie artist and playback singer.
It's interesting how shebalances it.
How do you see it?
Well, the film work obviouslyexpands her reach massively.
(20:52):
Introduces her to a wholedifferent audience.
It shows her versatility asjust a pure vocalist, but she still
maintains that strongindependent identity.
It's like she operatessuccessfully in both worlds.
And that story about singingfor Bodhai.
Do, the one with man of Manzurian.
Yeah.
She said yes during thepandemic without even knowing what
the film was about, then gotreally excited when she found out
(21:13):
about its LGBTQ thing.
Cricket, just her openness,her progressive mindset and, you
know, got a lot of peoplehearing her sing in Hindi for the
first time, which was cool.
Added another layer.
And she's not just expressedherself through music, she's done
speaking engagements too.
Oh yeah?
Like what?
She spoke at TEDx Youth atChennai way back in 2012 and at Ventura
2013.
(21:33):
An international business plan competition.
A TEDx and a business competition.
Right.
Interesting.
Yeah.
It shows she's more than justa musician.
Right.
She has ideas, she canarticulate them.
It points to that capacity forbroader thought leadership.
Adds another dimension to herpublic Persona.
Definitely.
It enriches her influencebeyond just the songs themselves.
(21:53):
Shows she's a thinker as wellas a creator.
Okay, let's switch gears nowto her views on the music industry
itself because she has somereally sharp observations, especially
given her journey.
Yeah, her perspective must be valuable.
What trends does she see?
Well, she sees a huge shifttowards artists just doing everything
on their own.
The DIY movement.
Exactly.
(22:14):
She contrasts it with, say, adecade ago when everyone was asking,
how do I get signed to a label?
Right.
That was the main goal then.
Now she finds it reallyinteresting how artists are taking
control, getting creative withreleases, with branding.
And the implications of thatare massive, aren't they?
In what way?
More artistic control, obviously.
Power shifting away from thetraditional gatekeepers, artists
(22:36):
building their own brands,connecting directly with fans, empowering
for the artist and forlisteners too.
You get more diverse music,stuff that doesn't have to fit a
label's mold.
It's a decentralization of power.
She also mentioned somethingabout genres.
Yeah.
What's her take?
That the idea of a genre isstarting to exist.
Less people are crossinggenres, styles, even languages, much
(22:59):
more freely.
The spice mix she talked about.
Exactly.
She calls it a reallyinteresting story.
Spice mix of a spacemusically, which.
Perfectly captures the currentvibe, doesn't it?
It reflects this globalized,hyper connected world where artists
just absorb everything andaren't bound by old categories.
It makes things more exciting.
Totally.
And it aligns perfectly withher own music, which has always been
(23:21):
hard to pin down to one genre.
She's living that trend.
Another trend she's reallyexcited about is seeing more women
in the market in the last fiveyears or so.
Oh, definitely.
Positive shift.
But she specificallyhighlighted it's not just singers
and songwriter.
Right, that's important.
But also instrumentalists,more producers, Engineers, people
in the technical side of music.
(23:42):
Yes, that's such a crucial point.
Her focusing on the technical,behind the scenes roles too.
Why is that so significant?
Because true representation,true parody means having women involved
at every stage of the process.
Production, engineering, mixing.
Those areas have historicallybeen very male dominated.
(24:02):
Seeing more women breakthrough there is vital for a genuinely
equitable and frankly moreinteresting and diverse music scene.
Overall, it brings differentperspectives to the sound itself.
Of course, with all this musicbeing made, there's the flip side.
Saturation, listener attentionspans, paradox of choice.
Yeah.
Molly acknowledges that.
(24:22):
She said the problem is notabout the quality.
Sometimes it's the attentionspan of listeners.
Good music might get lost in,in the noise.
It's a real challenge.
People are spoiled for choiceas you put it, especially on big
release days.
But she pushes back on theidea that quality is dropping.
She insists artists always putour best.
Foot forward and I thinkthat's true.
It's just harder to cut through.
(24:42):
It raises that big question,how do artists stand out now?
And how do listeners find thegems amidst the flood?
It's tough.
But her point about artistsstill striving for quality is key.
The commitment is still thereand inevitably.
You have to talk about socialmedia and digital platforms.
Can't avoid it.
What's her stance?
Pretty pragmatic.
(25:04):
She says whether we like it ornot, that's just how it's going to
be.
Trying to avoid it or dismissit means you're missing the shift,
accepting the reality.
Yeah.
She sees it as a new outlet, aplace for discovery, connection.
It's the new normal, she saysit's here to stay and we'll just
keep evolving.
Artists aren't just relying onprint or TV anymore.
Even music videos are changing format.
(25:25):
It's a profound shift, isn't it?
Total democratization ofdistribution, direct fan engagement.
Social media is the new bridge.
Exactly.
Promotion tool, communication channel.
It fundamentally changes theartist audience dynamic.
It empowers artists like herto build a global following independently.
Embracing it is almostessential now, given.
All that digital focus.
(25:46):
It's interesting to hear hertalk about physical releases like
vinyl.
Oh yeah.
Is she a vinyl collector?
She admits she grew up morewith cassettes and CDs, but her granddad
had a huge vinyl collection.
Ah, the family connection again.
Yeah.
And she was always intriguedby the art on the big covers.
She only started collectingvinyl herself in the last five years
(26:07):
and she actually inherited hergrandparents collection.
That's lovely.
A legacy.
So when it came to her album,Caution to the Wind, getting it pressed
on Vinyl was part of the plan.
She jumped the opportunitywhen a company called Black Roof
reached out.
And why?
Vinyl's for her.
She felt her music had thisretro future sound that just lent
(26:28):
itself well to vinyl.
Making that first physicalrelease felt like a cool achievement.
It's fascinating, isn't it?
For an artist of the digitalgeneration, it's partly nostalgia,
partly aesthetics, partlyoffering something tangible in a
streaming world.
A statement piece.
Exactly.
It's appreciating the whole package.
The sound, the art, thephysical object.
(26:50):
And for her, it ties backbeautifully to her granddad's collection.
A real full circle moment.
So, looking ahead, what areher fears as an artist and what are
her plans?
Always interesting to hearabout the future.
What's the biggest fear?
Her music becoming stale ornot very interesting anymore or sounding
like just rearrangements ofold ideas getting pigeonholed?
(27:14):
Ah, the classic artist's fear.
How to evolve without losingyour identity or repeating yourself.
Right, that tension.
It's that constant struggle,isn't it?
Innovation versus recognition.
But that fear is probably whatkeeps her pushing, experimenting.
It's a powerful motivator for growth.
Shows her artistic integrityand her plans for releases.
(27:34):
Touring.
Yeah.
What's next?
Well, she mentioned doing theTrifecta EP singles album.
So now maybe more singles fora bit.
An album eventually.
Maybe when I'm ready for it again.
Strategic release cycle.
Keep the momentum going with singles.
Touring wise.
She wants to tour more Indiaand internationally.
And she specifically wants aband tour.
Soon because she couldn'treally do one for the album during
(27:55):
the Pandemic.
Exactly.
She missed that full bandexperience on the road for Caution
to the Wind.
Makes sense, that collective energy.
And she's really keen on more collaborations.
Even put out an open call likeHit Me up.
Yeah, love that openness.
Ready to mix it up.
And she hinted at new musiccoming soon.
Sad singles, sad songs, not sosad songs, a Tamil song and other
(28:18):
surprise stuff.
Okay, so lots in the pipeline.
It shows a clear strategy forreleases, a hunger for live performance,
especially with a band, and areal desire to keep collaborating
and exploring.
She's definitely not standing still.
And that really wraps up ourdeep dive into Mali.
From that curious kid inChennai soaked in all kinds of music
with that amazing parentalsupport to this award winning independent
(28:41):
force in Mumbai.
Her journey just screamsversatility, deep emotional connection
and a really sharpunderstanding of the music world
today.
Absolutely.
She really embodies thatmodern artist, adaptable, authentic.
Navigating these newlandscapes with real creativity.
She does.
Her story isn't just about herit's kind of a blueprint, isn't it?
(29:02):
Showing resilience, vision.
So thinking about how sheembraces her personal story, mixes
all those influences, usesthese digital tools, it leaves you
wondering, right?
Wondering what?
What does her success reallytell us about where independent music
is going?
How can artists truly connectglobally when there's just so much
information out there?
Molly's figured out a way.
(29:23):
Her journey, her choices.
Maybe they offer some cluesfor anyone pursuing their own passion,
their own path in thisconstantly changing world we're all
navigating.
Makes you think, doesn't it?
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