Exclusive Premiere: Itanagar Singer-Songwriter Carolina Norbu’s Late-Night Pop EP ‘Chemistry’ Gets a Short Film

Arunachal Pradesh singer-songwriter Carolina Norbu teams up with producer-guitarist Haggai Rongmei, filmmaker Joram Jonah and scriptwriter Dusu Pai for her debut EP Chemistry, with the eight-minute indie pop record getting a short film centered around the seven deadly sins.

Norbu, who has released a handful of singles starting with “Him” in 2020, says she didn’t originally intend to write an EP. It follows a journey filtered through warm guitar tones, lo-fi production and playful songwriting, as heard on the enticing opening track “Eve,” when Norbu’s female protagonist makes the first move on a guy. “Under The Sheets” showcases a carefree intimacy sonically and lyrically, while the closing song “Hold Your Hand” is a confessional tale about indecisiveness but also living in the moment. Norbu adds that as they were piecing the songs together, they realized the shared theme was the idea of a perceived “chemistry” between two people.

Along with producer Rongmei (part of indie rockers Yesterdrive), Norbu says they had plotted out the sensual track “Under the Sheets” as a collaborative project at the outset. Due to pandemic-related restrictions, Norbu and Rongmei began recording remotely from their respective homes. The producer presented “Eve” soon after and Norbu in turn shared her idea that formed “Hold Your Hand.” Norbu credits her producer for the vintage, nostalgia-invoking indie sound of Chemistry. “We wanted the sound to remind us of the days back in the time when we used to listen to music using cassettes and tapes. As the song’s music structure and engineering came to fruition, it felt natural to vocally give that same ‘feel’ to make it complete.”

Interestingly, Rongmei was also the initiator when it came to the music video for the songs on the EP. It pushed their visual narrative beyond the clichéd girl-meets-boy story, unfolding a tale of mixed signals, overconfidence and ignorance when it comes to matters of the heart. In the video, we see a couple who lose interest in each other, smitten by others in the room. Acting on their underdeveloped feelings, however, plays out tragically, referencing pride, lust, greed, sloth, gluttony and wrath. Norbu adds about the concept, “We wanted to show how attraction can work out in wrong ways. We wanted to see a character who would embody all the seven sins, in the name of obsessive romantic attraction.”

Up next, Norbu is working on more music to release this year. She adds, “I am also hoping for live shows and tours. But given the pandemic situation, I am deliberating on it. Let’s just say that we have lots of plans and high hopes for 2022, since the last two years flew fast due to the pandemic.”

Watch the video for ‘Chemistry’ EP below.