Premiere: Brooklyn Songstress Rivita’s Bittersweet ‘Someone Else’s Arms’

In a somewhat typically Indian way that we’re all familiar with, singer, producer and sound engineer Rivita Goyle was in medical school for two years before she finally began pursuing an education in music in 2012. She says, “I landed myself in medical school because I thought music was impossible, as if medicine isn’t!”

During that “transition phase” the artist wrote a goth/emo rock song called “Fly Away,” and then went on to study composing for film and television in London. Currently in Brooklyn, the New Delhi native has been pursuing a postgraduate degree in audio arts in Syracuse, New York. After releasing her debut EP Tribal Love in 2018, there’s a new EP called I Believe set to be released in early 2020. The first single, a radiant soul, rock-leaning song called “Someone Else’s Arms” is out now.

With her vocals at the front, it’s clear that the singer isn’t one to put on an American accent or regular pop enunciations. Rivita says she does explore the “Indianness” in her voice and sound throughout the upcoming EP. She adds, “I became quite homesick while working on the EP. I would find myself sitting in front of the [computer] screen in cold and grey NYC dreaming of being at home playing with my dog and eating chole bhature!”

To that end, New York has been influencing her songwriting. She adds, “It’s safe to say that New York has a very raw, gritty and somewhat rough rock sound. NYC is an unforgiving city with its fast pace and cold harsh weather, being there [has] affected my writing quite a lot and I dug quite deep emotionally.”

With shows coming up in the East and West Coast of the U.S., Rivita has been road-testing new material with acoustic performances as well. She adds, “I am hoping that during 2020, I’ll be able to tour the U.S. and play some shows in India as well to share my new songs with the audiences in both the places.”

Listen to “Someone Else’s Arms” below and on more platforms here.