Saachi Asks People To ‘Stop’ Putting Words in Your Mouth on New Single

The last time we spoke to Mumbai-based singer-songwriter Saachi was in late 2020, when she released her moody single “DO/DON’T.” Since then, the musician has taken up full-time jobs at an NGO and a startup, moved out of her folks’ home and also began brushing up on her skills as a producer. She says, “I guess 2021 was a hiatus from music-making for a large part, mainly because social media and content creation had saturated me, and I still somehow needed to pay the bills.”

After quitting her job and focusing solely on making music, Saachi is now out with her latest single, the soul/funk offering “Stop.” The track stemmed from older sessions the artist had stored earlier, which she then dug up and began tweaking. After experiencing a bit of writer’s block while completing the song, Saachi says, “I’ve always tiptoed around bold songs; most of my older releases are very chill and the thing is that this is such a personal song that I had to push my own boundaries.” She adds, “In this particular instance, it was swearing. In regular life, I use cuss words quite often — they’re very much a part of most people’s lives, yet we look down upon people, especially women if they swear. So, I think breaking that barrier to be true to the message of the song was my last obstacle.”

The musician also informs us that, at its core, “Stop” is about trying to prevent people from putting words in your mouth and having them not impose certain actions on you. She admits that the song originated from the thought of “no means no” and sexual consent, though at the same time, she feels that the track can reflect every aspect of life. “I’ve personally been in rooms where I’ve said my take and people have said, ‘Oh no, that’s not what you mean.’ But that is what I mean,” she says.

Even though “Stop” clocks in at just under two minutes, it packs a punch. From the upright bassline, a sleek groove as well as Saachi’s euphoric vocal performance and splendidly stacked harmonies, the song has plenty to offer. “I just wanted to collectively address all the moments I’ve felt that way and package it into a very unapologetic song. All of the rage, all of the sarcasm, all of it is on display, and I think that’s why acoustic instruments combined with some simple kicks and grooves really did it,” says Saachi.

With “Stop,” she can now also be labeled as a producer for the first time. On why she decided to retain full creative control on the track, she shares, “I had a vision for it from the very beginning and I was unable to explain it. In fact, a couple of my musician pals tried their hand at the song, but I just couldn’t see it in that electronic space. The acoustic [aspect] is what gives it soul, it’s what is most me.” The song has been mixed and mastered by Mumbai-based audio engineer and producer Ayan De.

With a music video for “Stop” edited by Mumbai-based videographer/musician Blake D’Silva aka BLAKED already out, Saachi is now gearing up to release plenty more material. “I want this year to showcase all of the different genres that have influenced my music,” she says. There are also gigs and a multi-city tour in the works, as well as merch that will drop soon. Next, she is keen to not only produce more music for herself but to also work with other artists. Saachi says, “I believe that being an artist is a very all-rounded version to me; for me to be able to put the best product out there, I like to be involved in all musical processes.”

Watch the music video for “Stop” below and stream the song on other platforms.