Exclusive Premiere: Dropped Out and Karshni Collab On Charming Single ‘Pluto’

After attending one of Mumbai producer Rishi Thakker aka Dropped Out’s sets, singer-songwriter Karshni was impressed with what she heard and the two struck up a conversation regarding music. “We both expressed interest in collaborating with each other,” says Karshni. That interest developed into their just-released poignant track “Pluto.”

Following brainstorming sessions for the song at Dropped Out’s home studio, Karshni brought in a chord progression she played on guitar which caught the producer’s attention. Thakker says, “When there was enthusiasm from my side regarding this, she began to write a verse.” At the same time, the producer too was working on a beat that complemented Karshni’s idea. He adds, “I gave inputs on the instrumentation and she gave inputs on the production side. It was cohesive and truly collaborative.”

While sonically the song features delicate acoustic guitar plucking and ambient production which gradually picks up, the lyrics penned by Karshni were written from a third-person view about someone who feels lonely and neglected. “As a songwriter, my experiences are reflected directly through my words,” she says. Karshni adds, “At the time I was acquainted with a person who was going through these feelings and expressed that he didn’t feel ‘at home’ in any particular place.” The curiosity to put herself in those shoes led to the lyrics on “Pluto.” The entire track was recorded at Dropped Out’s studio and even mixed and mastered by him.

While in lockdown Karshni has been spending her time cooking, reading and working on music while Dropped Out’s focus has turned to video games. The singer-songwriter recently signed to New Delhi-based Pagal Haina Records and plans to release her debut album which she’s currently putting together with the label. The producer on his part is going to be releasing a song at the end of each month and has collaborations with pop singers and rappers as well as other producers in the works. Ask the artists if we can expect more collaborations from them and they say, “Yes. We love working together and enjoy each other’s company. Hopefully, the lockdown will lead to us making more music.”

Stream the song on Spotify below and click here to listen to it on other platforms.