Roikhik Addresses Mental Health on Debut Album ‘Milkshakes and Antidepressants’

Raised in Thane, Mumbai, hip-hop artist Roikhik (now based in Dehradun) informs us that as a teenager he was exposed to a lot of things that were quite traumatizing for him. It wasn’t until he came across American rapper Eminem’s 2002 smash hit “Lost Yourself” that he realized music was his calling. He says, “Slowly but steadily I worked quietly on my craft for years.”

With a number of singles as well as his 2021 debut EP Begum under his belt, now, Roikhik — who is also trained in Hindustani Classical music — is out with his full-length 15-track debut album entitled Milkshakes and Antidepressants. The artist says, “Work [on the album] began in 2018 as I kept developing my skills. There were continuous changes, we narrowed it down to 30 tracks out of which these 15 tracks were chosen.”

According to Roikhik, his main reason for writing music is to speak about mental health; and that’s exactly what he delivers through Milkshakes and Antidepressants. “For me, I want everyone out there who can reach out through my music to know that they are not alone,” he says. The opening song “Breathe” is about a teenager who feels like society has given up on him while “Bas Gaya” tells a story about how the protagonist has lost a friend and wishes to keep him in his heart forever. Other songs on the record such as “The Book,” “Money of Streets” and “610 Freeverse” speak about how a bullied teenager indulges in treacherous activities, only to change his ways later in life.

Roikhik self-produced the LP at his home studio, which is where he also mixed and mastered it. Looking ahead, the artist is keen to work on collaborations with other musicians and has plans to record a new EP. “My vision is to unite these soundscapes one at a time alongside lyrical hip-hop and occasional vocal melodies,” he says.

Stream ‘Milkshakes and Antidepressants’ on Spotify below and on Apple Music.