By Shaurya Saxena
09th Apr 2024
By Shaurya Saxena
09th Apr 2024
Hip-hop, a genre that is usually considered as a class of music only being dominated by males, has been slowly changing its perspective. With the rise of artists like Lauryn Hill and Lil Kim in the global rap community, the state of the Indian rap scene was relatively behind. With the exponential rise of hip-hop in India over the past decade, the genre still suffers from being ruled by the majority of males. This of course has shifted its canvas in the last years, some artists are currently running the game. One of the rising stars among them is Pavani Mehra. With a rapping style that sounds surreal to most of the artists currently out, she keeps on proving her promising career and roaring through music. Even with a small discography, her ambition is crystal clear. To claim what is her, to be one of the greatest artists in Indian hip-hop.
Growing up exploring different avenues of artistic expression, she always had a desire to push her limits of creativity and self-expression. Always doing what most boys of her age restrict their minds by thinking that girls couldn't do that, this not only made her feel good about herself but always gave her a retrospective look inside herself. It was not long before she found rap. From listening and learning the rap of Stereo Hearts by Gym Class Heroes in school to spitting Swag Mera Desi by Raftaar in college, it was not long before she started writing her own story.
"The necessity to address the representation of female artists speaks volumes about the ongoing inequalities and disparities within the industry. Pick up any festival lineup, be it Lollapalooza or any other big festivals in India the number of female artists performing is comparatively very low."
Hip-hop, a genre that is usually considered as a class of music only being dominated by males, has been slowly changing its perspective. With the rise of artists like Lauryn Hill and Lil Kim in the global rap community, the state of the Indian rap scene was relatively behind. With the exponential rise of hip-hop in India over the past decade, the genre still suffers from being ruled by the majority of males. This of course has shifted its canvas in the last years, some artists are currently running the game. One of the rising stars among them is Pavani Mehra. With a rapping style that sounds surreal to most of the artists currently out, she keeps on proving her promising career and roaring through music. Even with a small discography, her ambition is crystal clear. To claim what is her, to be one of the greatest artists in Indian hip-hop.
Growing up exploring different avenues of artistic expression, she always had a desire to push her limits of creativity and self-expression. Always doing what most boys of her age restrict their minds by thinking that girls couldn't do that, this not only made her feel good about herself but always gave her a retrospective look inside herself. It was not long before she found rap. From listening and learning the rap of Stereo Hearts by Gym Class Heroes in school to spitting Swag Mera Desi by Raftaar in college, it was not long before she started writing her own story.
"The necessity to address the representation of female artists speaks volumes about the ongoing inequalities and disparities within the industry. Pick up any festival lineup, be it Lollapalooza or any other big festivals in India the number of female artists performing is comparatively very low."
There are moments when everything in life changes, for Pavani everything changed when her mother was hospitalized due to a serious health issue. Sitting in the hospital every day for a month, many troubles were prowling in her mind. With the urge to write now and then, she wrote her first song "KHOKHLA" produced by Heartlock whom she met online. Being a graphic designer, she follows a different approach to music creation. Instead of focusing on stacking up the chords and tabs, she first focuses on visualizing the music on how it is supposed to be and often creates the music cover first or sketching something. This helps her venture into multiple mediums of art. This without any saying goes for music too, not restricting her to a single genre. Always trying to fuse hip-hop with new sounds and styles, she has already explored pop, jazz, Classical, Funk, and R&B. She continues to experiment with her upcoming EP including Pop R&B and Afro.
"There is room for everyone and I feel things are going to flip sooner or later. I have faced challenges, especially while performing live. Of Course, there have been instances where I felt this all worth it. but then I just think of one thing, when music did not leave my hand in difficult situations why should I?"
There are moments when everything in life changes, for Pavani everything changed when her mother was hospitalized due to a serious health issue. Sitting in the hospital every day for a month, many troubles were prowling in her mind. With the urge to write now and then, she wrote her first song "KHOKHLA" produced by Heartlock whom she met online. Being a graphic designer, she follows a different approach to music creation. Instead of focusing on stacking up the chords and tabs, she first focuses on visualizing the music on how it is supposed to be and often creates the music cover first or sketching something. This helps her venture into multiple mediums of art. This without any saying goes for music too, not restricting her to a single genre. Always trying to fuse hip-hop with new sounds and styles, she has already explored pop, jazz, Classical, Funk, and R&B. She continues to experiment with her upcoming EP including Pop R&B and Afro.
"There is room for everyone and I feel things are going to flip sooner or later. I have faced challenges, especially while performing live. Of Course, there have been instances where I felt this all worth it. but then I just think of one thing, when music did not leave my hand in difficult situations why should I?"
Recently released a track "Chakravyuh", a track that is in line with what's happening in today's world and how inhuman people have become to nature as well as to humankind itself. She endeavours and takes her art to the next. The music video was shot in a graveyard at night, she never fails to distinguish herself from others. Now working on her upcoming EP, Pavani ensures that this one is gonna be different from her other work. With each song diving into a different field of sound, she blends diverse influences and genres to create a sound that is distinctly her own. From rhythmic hip-hop beats to soulful melodies of Afro-music, she is ready to deliver something everlasting.
"Artists are now more than just musicians – they're influencers, trendsetters, ambassadors for certain lifestyles. They're not just making music; they're curating an entire aesthetic, a vibe that people want to buy into. People relate and aspire to be like them and that is a big responsibility."
Recently released a track "Chakravyuh", a track that is in line with what's happening in today's world and how inhuman people have become to nature as well as to humankind itself. She endeavours and takes her art to the next. The music video was shot in a graveyard at night, she never fails to distinguish herself from others. Now working on her upcoming EP, Pavani ensures that this one is gonna be different from her other work. With each song diving into a different field of sound, she blends diverse influences and genres to create a sound that is distinctly her own. From rhythmic hip-hop beats to soulful melodies of Afro-music, she is ready to deliver something everlasting.
"Artists are now more than just musicians – they're influencers, trendsetters, ambassadors for certain lifestyles. They're not just making music; they're curating an entire aesthetic, a vibe that people want to buy into. People relate and aspire to be like them and that is a big responsibility."
