shesaid.so India releases first EP with Azadi Records
Four incredible artists from India come together for the release on International Women’s Day
SSSO INDIA x AZR EP1 is the new EP from shesaid.so India and Azadi Records released on Friday March 8th 2019; International Women’s Day. All four songs are inspired by the strong women that the featured artists have encountered in their lives.
Four talented music artists from India, namely, Pardafash (Bangalore), Noni-Mouse (Mumbai), Tienas (Mumbai), and Meba Ofilia (Shillong) have contributed a track each inspired by women that are close to their hearts and have impacted them deeply.
Track-By-Track, each artist explains the meaning behind the EP…
‘Dark Chocolate’, by Pardafash
Pardafash (Sandhya Visvanathan) is a graphic designer and illustrator who moonlights as a vocalist-producer and songwriter. She frequently collaborates with artists from her music family — Bangalore based electronic music collective — Consolidate. Pardafash’s solo live act is her interpretation of protest music through a combination of songs that are stories and spoken word monologues. She believes in using narrative electronic music to make a record of the time we live in.
‘Dark Chocolate’ is a love song that tells a story about the nuances of friendship between two people. The narrator of the song is besotted with and trying to be there for a friend through an abortion. It’s a progression of their relationship and intimacy, as they do normal things to make the friend feel better.
Follow Pardafash: Instagram | Soundcloud | Bandcamp (Consolidate)
‘BFF’, by Noni-Mouse
Radhapriya aka Noni-Mouse is a left-of-centre, alternative electronica/downtempo artist, based in Mumbai. Always pushing the envelope with her craft, her music combines elements of thick soundscapes, eerie percussion lines, and R&B vocals, often creating ambient-pop anthems that stick to people like glue.
‘BFF’ as the name suggests, has been inspired by the artist’s best friend. Through this track, Radha has tried to capture her best friend’s “do your own thing” spirit, her motivation and her zeal for making things happen. Radha has also sampled her talking on the track, coming in in bits like a speed rapper.
Follow Noni-Mouse: Facebook | Instagram | Soundcloud
‘Queen’s Necklace’, by Tienas
The Mumbai-based MC Tanmay Saxena, known popularly as Tienas or Bobby Boucher, is a breath of fresh air in the city’s hip-hop community — bringing to the forefront a Nujabes-inspired sonic aesthetic that hasn’t been seen before in a region dominated by ‘gully rap’. The name ‘Tienas’ is a wordplay on his initials “T n’ S,” much inspired by his idol and inspiration, Eminem who also used his initials “M n’ M” which stand for Marshall Mathers. Tienas’ ability to craft together complex narratives on fluctuating, chaotic beats has seen him enter multiple critics’ list.
‘Queen’s Necklace’ is Tienas’ ode to the bond between a mother and son and how it evolves over time as both of them grow. The hook signifies a mother’s efforts to shield her child from the hardships of the world outside — one which will constantly try and break him down. This effort to protect a child’s innocence and keep them close is a part of every relationship between a mother and her children and often occurs as they simultaneously try and prepare them to face the world one day. Queen’s Necklace is written from the point of view of a son trying to convince his mother that he’s ready to face society and make something of himself in the world, leaving behind the protected and safe environment of his home. The second verse sees the mother reminding her son of all the trials and tribulations that await him outside and of all the hardships they’ve faced together.
Follow Tienas: Facebook | Instagram | Soundcloud | Bandcamp | Spotify
‘Lady Bizz’, by Meba Ofilia
Hailing from Shillong, Meghalaya, Meba Ofilia might just be the breakthrough artist that Indian hip-hop needed. Her first single, “Done Talking”, made in collaboration with Khasi Bloodz co-founder and veteran MC Big Ri, was a refreshing addition amongst the somewhat indistinguishable hip-hop offerings that came out over the last year. “Done Talking” showcased Ofilia’s incredible vocal talent, and earned both Shillong-natives the Best Indian Act award at the 2018 MTV European Music Awards.
‘Lady Bizz’ basically talks about is self-love. I stress mainly on women issues that not many men understand and rather than dwelling on the problems, I focus more on what a woman can
do to make herself feel better. A woman who empowers another woman is the most powerful thing to me and I’m so glad I get to share my bit on how I make myself feel better.
Follow Meba Ofilia: Facebook | Instagram | Soundcloud | Spotify
Azadi Records is a Delhi based independent record label that seeks to provide a platform for South Asian artists to release forward-thinking, politically conscious music that critically engages with (and comments on) the pressing issues of our time. Their aim is to highlight pertinent stories that are often ignored by the mainstream through new sounds, new visuals and new mediums that initiate dialogue between different communities around the world.
Follow Azadi Records: Instagram | Facebook | www.azadirecords.com | Bandcamp
Follow Shesaid.so India: Instagram | Facebook | www.shesaid.so
