KD Playlist 007: Cuffing SZN Croonerz
The embodiment of a Certified Lover Brown Boy <3 22 year old London-born Dhruv Sharma made his mark with his viral hit, Double Take. Even before Tik Tok launched his music career, he was confident in it enough to take time off school to work on music full time. His inspiration stems from the Bollywood songs his father would play that he grew up listening to, as well as the soulful tunes of Gnarles Barkley and Amy Winehouse, which is evident in his smooth like butter R&B tracks.
Another artist hailing from London, Joy Crookes, who is half Bangladeshi, has a voice frequently compared to that of Amy Winehouse’s. However, if you ask her, she’ll tell you both of them are heavily influenced by black jazz artists, giving credit where credit is due. If you are into soulful, jazzy RnB, give Joy Crookes a listen.
Raveena has certainly cut through the noise and has become a household name amongst the diaspora. Dubbed “the one to watch” by The Guardian, Raveena’s trajectory has put her on the map with collaborators like Vince Staples, boosting her presence even more. With her boldness, singing chops and overall attitude, we can’t wait to see where else she goes.
With influence from Rihanna and SZA, ASHWARYA’s repertoire consists of faster, EDM infused tracks, slow and heavy ballads, and the occasional rap, which showcase her versatility. ASHWARYA experiments with her sound and is unapologetically herself, which comes out in her music.
Curtis is a gem for the diaspora. He is the FIRST Nepali-born singer to achieve international success, at the tender age of 22 years. What an accomplishment and well-deserved one. His influences range from Frank Ocean, Kanye West and Joy Division’s Ian Curtis. In fact, his stage name pays an homage to two of those artists—Ian Curtis and Frank Ocean. Curtis is a funky Gen Z crooner and we are definitely digging his vibe.
Shreea Kaul might be the Indian diaspora’s answer to Dua Lipa. Her music has hints of disco, flirty subject matter and strong vocals, which is the foundation of a Dua song. However, Shreea incorporates her South Asian roots by seamlessly transitioning to singing in Hindi within her music.
Rehma might be the Indian diaspora’s answer to Ariana Grande. Her song, Hit List, has the makings of an Ariana song, with pop hip hop sounds, a catchy hook and flirty, strong verses. If you’re looking for some tunes to get ready to pump yourself for a night with your man, you should be blasting Rehma.
Anik Khan is known more for his rapping but he is a bonafide CROONER. Anik resembles Drake in the way that they both have hard spitting rap verses but then can croon their way into some good old R&B. Anik Khan also pulls influence from Indo-Caribbean beats, just like how Drake did in Honestly, Nevermind.
Saint Ivory is made up of brothers Ketan and Avan Jogia. You might know Avan from his acting career but did you know he could croon? Their sound reminds me of Tyler the Creator’s Flower Boy era and if it was a little more indie than rap. The sound is definitely experimental but might be just what you need to keep the flame alive this cuffing season.
