Zinnia Chaturvedi And Mukkubhai Collaborate on Synth Pop Track ‘Somebody Else’
The song includes Eighties soundscapes juxtaposed with modern pop elements
Artists (from left) Zinnia Chaturvedi and Mukkubhai. Photos: Vishwas Ravindran (Chaturvedi); Courtesy of the artist
New Delhi singer-songwriter Zinnia Chaturvedi and Kanpur producer Mukkubhai recently joined forces on the plush synth-pop track “Somebody Else.” We caught up with the artists to discuss how the song came together, what it’s about, future plans and more. Read below.
What can you tell us about the new single “Somebody Else?”
Mukkubhai: I started working on ‘Somebody Else’ in late 2020. The sound and feel were heavily inspired by Julia Michaels’ single ‘Lie Like This’ and I was looking for a vocalist to work with on this track. I was looking to work with someone from the DU music scene and I reached out to Zinnia. She liked the rhythm and feel of the track and I was stoked to work on this with her.
Chaturvedi: ‘Somebody Else’ revolves around the theme of disassociating, mainly with the ones who did you wrong, displayed disrespect, and showed half-cooked remorse when convenient; be it in friendships or relationships. The lyrics offer a very straightforward message, with little reading between the lines. Both I and Mukund adjoined our thoughts in cooking up the lyrics to complete the storyline. The track also puts emphasis on my transition from being somewhat of a people pleaser to someone who has solid boundaries. On the contrary, it’s spiced up with some insane disco-pop beats that drown away the noise of it all and take you to the land of absolute bliss!
What was the recording and production process like?
Chaturvedi: The vocal recording process took place at my home with my gear setup. Recording the vocals alone provided me with a lot of space of trial and error, re-takes which was absolutely exhausting. It’s a task to go through a number of takes to finally settle on the right ones but it’s the most rewarding thing at the same time. For the production, Mukund did a splendid job on the track as a whole, working tirelessly on the mixing and mastering. It’s the best feeling to see your work coming together!
Mukkubhai: I wish I could say that the recording and production were a breeze, but we don’t do this full-time, so it took it’s fair amount of time. From fully recorded vocals crashing to college exams. Yes, it was a process. But I also got to work with one of the smartest, realest and exceptionally talented vocalists in the Delhi scene.
What’s next?
Chaturvedi: I just got done with my Master’s in Sociology from the Delhi School of Economics and now finally can say I’m a full-time musician! Although I’m doing yet another degree but it’s distant learning so it doesn’t take up a great chunk of my time.
Stream “Somebody Else” on Spotify below:
