Mali Turns into A Badass in New Video For ‘Semi Automatic Butane’

Earlier this year, Mumbai-based singer-songwriter Maalavika Manoj aka Mali released a studio version of her popular track “Walk Away,” one that she’d had in her locker for over a decade. Since then, the musician has been busy plotting a nationwide India tour and has even been working on her latest release which came out today, the angsty synth offering “Semi Automatic Butane.”

Penned two years ago, the new song stems from a moment Mali came across while attending a house party. She says, “A boy tried lighting a cigarette and the flame was set to high and it almost caused his hair to burn off. Though no one was harmed, and we could laugh it off, the situation reminded me of our compulsions and the very act of smoking and playing with fire.” The singer adds, “The song is really a commentary on how we know something is bad for us but do it anyway because YOLO (you only live once).”

Sonically, “Semi Automatic Butane” is quite the bop. The track includes a pulsating beat and is layered with lush acoustic and electric guitar parts, synths as well as Mali’s honeyed vocals. The song has been produced by Keshav Dhar (from Indo/American rockers Skyharbor) and even features drummer Jehangir Jehangir (of ska outfit The Fanculos) while singer Aria Nanji contributed backing vocals to it.

The track’s accompanying music video – directed by Naman Saraiya – was shot at the barren yet striking landscape of Jawai, Rajasthan. In the clip, Mali is seen taking on the persona of a badass and driving a jeep through the desert with a toy gun, alongside her bandmate, guitarist Apurv Isaac aka Lala and Nanji. Mali says, “Lala who is also a wildlife photographer was planning a trip to Rajasthan to film leopards. We decided to follow him and shoot over a day or two because I always imagined vast open spaces and a lot of dust and rocks when I thought of this song.” The singer adds, “Though the song is about smoking I didn’t want any of the visuals to allude directly to it. The toy gun acted as the right kind of agent to glue it all together.”

With “Semi Automatic Butane” the third single out since Mali’s 2021 eight-track full-length debut album Caution to the Wind, ask the singer-songwriter if she’s consciously going down the route of releasing one song at a time. The artist says, “Working on the album has taught me just what a commitment it is, and I plan to work on the next one only when I can commit the time towards it. That said, all of these singles have had separate stories and journeys and didn’t necessarily feel like they could belong together on an EP or album, so I decided it’s better for them to live separately.”

A few weeks ago it was also announced that Mali has been nominated for Best India Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards, which takes place in Paris next month. “Winning is a long shot, but just being nominated is a huge honor and will keep me going for a while,” says Mali. Currently, her focus is on her upcoming 10-stop India tour, which will kick off in December. “It’s a big step and I’m really hoping my listeners and friends come to watch me and the band. This will be the first time since 2019 that I will have toured,” she says.

Watch the music video for “Semi Automatic Butane” below: