Fresh Indie Fridays #75 Featuring Kamakshi Khanna, Rono and AVANI

Kamakshi Khanna – “Breathe” 

New Delhi-bred and Mumbai-based singer-songwriter Kamakshi Khanna has launched a resounding new single, the ukulele-aided “Breathe.” Apart from Khanna’s emotive vocals, the song also includes a string arrangement, heart-thumping drums and a crisp bass groove. In a statement, Khanna said, “‘Breathe’ is a song I’ve been carrying with me for years. I started writing it in my early 20s when I couldn’t make sense of my anxious thoughts. It helped me come to terms with my worst tendencies. Self-doubt has been one of the most exhausting battles that I’m still learning to fight, and I hope this song can help someone who’s going through something similar, like it helped me.”  

Rono – “Raat” 

Mumbai-based singer-songwriter, photographer and videographer Ronit Sarkar aka Rono’s newest single comes in the shape of the evoking “Raat.” The song features a well-rounded vocal performance from the artist and is colored beautifully with uplifting sonic textures that include melodic guitar lines, breezy background singing and more. In a statement, Rono said, ‘“‘Raat’ is about that one magical night, when nothing matters except for the person in front of you, consequences be damned. Inspired by and conceived during a monsoon in lockdown, it’s a love song like I’ve never written before, and I’m truly excited to finally share it with the world.” 

AVANI – Too Good to Be True 

On her five-track debut EP Too Good to Be True, Indore-bred and Mumbai-based singer-songwriter and producer Avani Kamdar – who goes by her first name – sings about the different phases of love. Sonically, the record features a bunch of various vocal textures that give it a dark pop vibe, which sits well in contrast to the overall lush and dreamy production touch on the EP. In a statement, AVANI said, “As much as we feel whole, sometimes loving someone with all that we have also leaves us feeling empty. Each and every song has a different mood and ambience to it, which is a metaphor for how love makes us feel everything, all at once, and sometimes leaves us feeling numb.”