Blending Folk & Pop, Simran Choudhary Creates Music That Reeks Of Nostalgia

EP Album Folkin Rani

Choudhary's album Folkin Rani - EP  stems from the idea of retaining a whole culture both conceptually and lyrically. "The songs are very rooted to the culture of Punjab or possibly like any other culture as the conversations and the storylines we have used for the songs are very local." Continuing to talk about her project, Choudhary says, "If one hears the songs in EP, it would bring them a dash of nostalgia as one would feel they have heard it somewhere, maybe from your Dadis and Nanis."

Choudhary shares what she, the lyricist Raja, and their music producer's intent behind the album was, "We three came with that vision of creating local concepts but packaging them in a very contemporary manner so that it is served well for the youth."

Social Media Impact

Social media is seen as a great medium, especially for emerging artists as they no longer have to wait to seize a platform to showcase their art, Choudhary talks about how social media has been always a big blessing for her. 

People and art have both become so independent of all the platforms; one can just sit back at home, make a cover, and reach out to millions and millions of people all together. I totally consider digital evolution a blessing.

Choudhary acknowledges the ongoing social media competition, emphasising the need to adapt to the current era rather than yearning for past letter-writing times.

Dealing With Artistic Blocks And Bad Mental Health Days:

Choudhary puts an interesting approach on productivity and bad mental health days by comparing it to bad hair days or skin days, calling out all-time productive culture toxic. "I feel very sorry for some people who don't allow their bodies and minds to have good and bad days. The whole trend of being productive 24*7 is toxic, according to me. It's important to listen to your body when it tells you it needs a break." Choudhary also emphasises the thin line between taking a break and procrastinating.

There is a very fine line between being lazy and taking a break that one needs to keep a check on. I tackle artistic blocks by allowing myself time to breathe. My go-to strategy involves sleeping on the problem and setting a specific timeframe to revisit it when I feel ready. Staying disciplined is a priority when it comes to adhering to self-imposed deadlines, because at the end of the day, I have to be honest with my art.

Navigating Existential Crisis Through Meditation And Yoga

Choudhary talks about how during the pandemic and lockdown she went through an existence crisis as there was not much to do to stay productive and everyone was "losing it a little" while she was worried about will she able to match up with the little bit of exposure she got as The Voice 2019 just ended before lockdown hitting the country. She says she adopted yoga and meditation in 2020 during the time of COVID-19 and how it has done miracles for her. 

Choudhary shared how to keep herself sane and grounded she adapted meditation and yoga practices that have miraculously changed her life as she continued to keep that in her routine and also shared how she necessarily takes time to sit with herself as she said: "There's so much going around yourself, around the world, you can't let yourself get influenced by every trend, every culture."

On Why Feminism Matters

Choudhary's thoughts about feminism are as strong as her music style, as she talks about how feminism these days is misunderstood lately, saying, "Feminism is not about making one gender superior to another; it is only about equalising both of them." She adds, "I believe men and women both have their own sets of struggles, and that is what life is to us. But it is about time we stop victimising women and ourselves as women; it's time to not just get equal opportunities but also feel equal in our own right."

We need to stop this "Bechari culture" because women are not becharis. It's important to get past the notion that women need to be saved by men. The exposures we gain as women are no longer reliant on apparent providers that we used to have earlier, whether it's financial or emotional.

Choudhary's Inspirations

Choudhary credits influential women in her life for shaping her character. She finds empowerment in witnessing women excel in their endeavours. "My mother and sisters offer unwavering support, keeping me grounded and motivated."

Suggested Reading: 'Diva Mat Ban, Ban Tu Devi': In Conversation With Pop Icon Neha Bhasin