Tempo Talks: A Conversation with Kavita Baliga

THE RELEASE

Emerging from a classical soprano foundation, the versatile Indian-American vocalist has captivated audiences around the globe since 2008. Notable for her contribution to Shekhar Kapur's cinematic marvel "Elizabeth: The Golden Age," featuring the compositions of A.R. Rahman, she initially made her mark through session work in the vibrant realm of Bollywood and collaborations with the French ensemble Olli Goes to Bollywood. Her creative footprint extended to production endeavors, benefiting artists across India and the UK. Embarking on the second act of her musical expedition, Kavita now embraces the role of a singer-songwriter, unearthing the depths of her artistic identity. Weaving narratives of love, resilience, and introspection, she seamlessly blends an array of genres encompassing synth pop, R&B, Indian classical, crossover, and new age influences. Her voice, delicate and ethereal, graces ambient landscapes and enriches cinematic scores, while her multifaceted style offers a distinct advantage over those confined to a single genre. This new phase signifies a compelling evolution in Kavita's journey, one that holds the promise of captivating listeners with her heartfelt melodies and transcendent sonic tapestries.

"Will You Miss Me Then" takes listeners on an introspective journey through the complexities of a profound relationship. Kavita skillfully delves into the interplay of love and conflict, crafting a melodious narrative that resonates with the intricacies of human connection. The song's poignant lyrics and captivating melody invite reflection on the nuanced emotions that come with love's uncertainties and the yearning for liberation. Kavita's expressive vocals, wrapped in a delicate blend of arpeggiated piano and cinematic orchestral strings, evoke a haunting vulnerability that tugs at the heartstrings. The modern infusion of synth elements and the subtle pulse of electronic beats enhance the track's contemporary allure, while mixing engineer Simone Lombardi's expertise elevates the sonic landscape to match the song's emotional depth. "Will You Miss Me Then" is a moving exploration of universal themes, leaving an indelible mark on listeners with its evocative storytelling and immersive musical arrangement.

THE INTERVIEW

What song or moment in time sparked your passion for music? And If you had to create a Mount Rushmore of inspiration, what four individuals molded the artist you are today?
As an Indian-American woman, I grew up with an eclectic mix of musics from all over the world. My parents listened to Indian classical and Indian film music on a daily basis, which made me feel connected to my Indian background and heritage from an early age. But I also remember them putting on records of The Carpenters and The Eagles which blew my mind - the fact that music could be all of those things! The complexities of South Asian rhythms, scales, and styles mixed with what I was hearing and seeing on television at the time in the Bay Area; The Sound of Music, Soul Train, George Michael, Janet Jackson and then seeing The Phantom of the Opera live in San Francisco... all of these things formed my sense of what MUSIC could be. Later in university, I found myself drawn to fierce feminists like Ani DiFranco, Tori Amos, Bjørk, Beth Gibbons and other female icons who wrote songs about the experience of womanhood.

How does your creative process work from the moment you develop the idea to the completion of the record?

"Will You Miss Me Then," so far, is the most special piece of music I've ever written. Because it felt like I didn't write it at all. I've always heard of songwriters and composers talk about being the vehicle for music to flow through, but I've never really had that experience until this song. It was as if the song was already written somewhere in the ether and I just had to open a door and let the universe take control. My job in this case was to simply not get in the way. It was profound. There's a quote by George Michael where he's giving an interview and says, "It's almost like it comes to you fully formed, and you just pulled it out of nowhere. And the feeling that you have on the back of your neck that makes you shiver... is that you've found it."

I generally start with piano because it's the first instrument I ever learned. Then I start stacking layers and fiddling with atmospheric elements, samples, synth pads, and string patches and it starts to all come together to form a whole.

As for this release, who is the producer and what about the production moved you? And When it comes to the songwriting on this record, what is the message you want to get across to your listeners?

I am the sole producer for "Will You Miss Me Then, and I hadn't intended to be. I had always assumed I'd write the general piano and melody line, write some temporary lyrics, and send it off to a producer to expand on the idea. But as soon as I started putting down chords I knew what I wanted and where I wanted to go. I love strings. And my background is in classical music. So the initial beat you hear on the song is created by col legno cello strings. Col legno is a classical term for when the cellist hits the strings with the stick of the bow instead of the hair. The secondary beat that comes in after the first chorus and has an intentional Indianness to it - I wanted a strong kick, but accompanied by something that resembled a tabla, or Indian percussion instrument. I combined a bunch of different percussion instruments, some acoustic, some not to create a secondary beat that functioned as a snare.

The interesting part of this process was figuring out what kind of SOUND I wanted. I wanted to work with a mixing engineer who had worked for artists I love, like London Grammar, Adele, Sigur Ros etc. I did a search online, went through a bunch of credits and found Simone Lombardi who is an Italian engineer who lives and works in London. I contacted him thinking it was a long shot, but he responded immediately and we ended up working together on this track. He was amazing to work with, has incredible intuition and creativity with sound and music, and really knew how to bring out what I was looking for by introducing his own ideas in the mix. For example, the reverb cloud that you hear after every vocal line - that was all him. Mixing engineers are truly ARTISTS and if you don't have a good connection with yours, it's never going to work. Working wth someone you really admire; someone who can bring your music to life is such a beautiful experience.

When I was young I thought I'd never be able to write music that represented my full identity: my Indianness + my Americanness; my classical background + my love of everything from 80's power ballads to synth pop to classical crossover to New Age. It all seemed to conflict with each other so I never took the step to write. Writing and releasing this song was an exercise in letting creativity flow through without getting in its way. Without controlling it. Without judging it. Because at the end of the day, the vehicle is me. And I embody all of those genres and styles that I love subconsciously. So whatever comes out, in the end, will be ME.

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