Indie music in India is certainly moving to another plateau as artists no longer fear focusing on genres that are not necessarily popular, but those that they are passionate about. As a perfect example, witness the latest offering from Mumbai-based, 18 year old singer-songwriter Shriya Rao: an EP called ‘In A Box’, featuring four songs.

Her is a slow-burn ballad; I’m not alright is lilting; whereas the mid-tempo Are You Down contains a spoken word interlude from Shriya; and ends with the atmospheric Dream About It. No doubt, there is a uniqueness to the ‘In A Box’ EP as it teems with deeply felt emotion and combines with Shriya's sensitive and expressive voice that conveys gratitude, redemption, solace, and escape…all together.

Much credit is due to the producers on the EP, divided between Yohan Marshall (Her) and Hersh Desai, who has produced the balance three tracks. All the songs were recorded at Mumbai’s Island City Studios. Shriya’s songs depict a typical teenager’s lost-and-found love(s), often resulting in brief acceptance, but more of a heartbreak of longevity evoking obvious emotional feelings that Shriya has been able to capture with her often moody and introspective lyrics and through her impressive and appropriately captured melodies.

Prior to the EP, Shriya Rao had already released seven original songs, and has more than 50 live performances to her credit at various venues across Mumbai, such as the Royal Opera House, NCPA, St. Andrew’s auditorium, NSCI dome, and G5A. Add several more shows as a precursor to the launch of her EP, including a performance at Raasta, Bombay in October last year – as the final artist featured ‘From The Vault Vol.2’ – consisting of a set list of both released and unreleased originals, including Take Me There With You and Feels So Right.

In November, in leading ‘The Shriya Rao Collective’, she performed for an hour and a half at Mumbai’s Willingdon Sports Club, with a set list consisting of renditions and originals.

It is obvious that Shriya’s music blends contemporary and yet sultry R&B and irresistible soul, with pop and, as she admits, is inspired by the music of Daniel Caesar, Summer Walker, Erykah Badu, Mac Miller, and Tate McRae.

Whenever Shriya seeks a breather fromwriting songs or from her live performances, she also finds time to lend her voice to advertisements and, in the past, has provided her vocals to brands such as Nykaa Fashion, Tang, and Lenskart.

In the first quarter of 2024, Sony Music India (through their Day One sub-label) released two of her songs, Ride For Me and On My Mind, both tracks achieving views in excess of 180,000 on YouTube.

Meanwhile, the four songs on the present EP are charmed with Shriya’s immediacy, spontaneity, and unguarded approach to songwriting and, combined with Shriya’s potent voice and her keen ear, she certainly delivers emotion and excitement in equal measure, paradoxically both out of, and in a box.

Click on the link below to listen to Shriya Rao’s‘In A Box’ EP:

Her

https://on.soundcloud.com/ArE3oCHUAVLXAatV7

I’m not alright

https://on.soundcloud.com/QwfDQft8RmrrrYVo8

Are you down

https://on.soundcloud.com/yd3FspsNzcPgdR639

Dream about it

https://on.soundcloud.com/SuhJsbwccGT5XFnS7

Released on: 24^th January, 2025

Duration:  13.27 minutes

Rating: ****

Reviewed by Parag Kamani

Parag Kamani has been part of the media and entertainment industry across 35 years, having worked for licensors such as Warner Music and EMI/Virgin in music, as well as Warner Bros, Universal Pictures, and Paramount Pictures in the field of films. Parag continues pursuing his passion as a profession.