Utsavi Jha Looks Back on the Making of Lush Debut EP ‘Khata’

Mumbai-based singer-songwriter Utsavi Jha’s debut EP Khata has storytelling at its center and atmospheric production across five Hindi songs.

Released in October 2024, Jha traverses different moods, from “shock and confusion” in the title track, “grief and heaviness” in “Mujhe Jaane Do” and “anger and relief” in “Azaad.” In the latter part of the EP, Jha acknowledges a “relapse after the moment of empowerment has passed” with “Tum Kyun” and finally comes to the realization of needing to move on, on “Kaisi Hoon Poocho Na.” Jha worked with producer Manav, with the mix and master by engineer Carl Nazareth. The title track was mixed and mastered by Prathamesh Dudhane and Praneeth Kumar.

She said in a statement at the time of releasing the EP, “Everyone experiences heartbreak differently. Khata was my attempt at finding closure and interpreting heartbreak, so those seeking catharsis can find some company.” She added in a video interview with Dolby India, “This EP is an extremely personal body of work because it’s based on my experiences with heartbreak. It’s extremely honest, extremely embarrassing to accept that you’ve gotten your heart broken, but I still wrote this because it allowed me to heal a part of myself while also allowing people who are going through the same feelings to find company in these songs.”

In order to do justice to the production flourishes and stories throughout Khata, the EP was Jha’s first project to be mixed in Dolby Atmos. “Before that, I hadn’t experienced what my song would sound like with immersive sound. So when I went to the studio and heard my songs for the first time, I literally felt like I was inside the song,” she says in a video interview with Dolby India. The EP had an added dimension with a short film, featuring visuals for each track.

Jha’s association is a part of Dolby’s Love Music More campaign ahead of International Women’s Day. Dolby has worked with multiple female artists across the globe as a part of their ongoing initiatives.