anoushka maskey

Taking her “self-organized” Sunny Side Tour across the country, the Sikkim-origin artist is prioritizing consistent releases and exploring bossa nova next

- David Britto

MUMBAI/SIKKIM singer-songwriter Anoushka Maskey's folk-inspired melodies and poignant storytelling has made waves across the country's independent music scene. Embracing a lyrics-first approach to her music, Maskey embarked on her journey in 2020 with the unveiling of two soul-stirring EPs, Things I Saw in a Dream and C.E.A.S.E in September, swiftly followed by the enchanting singles "September Embers" and "Empire of Fear" later that year. From being mentored by the likes of singer-songwriter and music supervisor Ankur Tewari, to sharing the stage with the likes of Prateek Kuhad on his 2021 winter tour, Maskey's has had quite the rise. And she's just getting started.

Read our interview with Maskey below:

You're currently on tour, how has that been going?

This self-organized tour has taught my team and I so much already. We started with a kickass show in Pune followed by the Mumbai leg, which was one for the books. We will be covering Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Goa and a few other major cities from March through May. The tour includes fresh arrangements that range from that jazz-pop, bossa nova, indie rock, dream pop sonic space. I didn't realize how much I was missing out doing only solo and duo shows, because sharing the joy of a good gig with four other fellas on that same adrenaline has been such a magnifier of joy.

"PUTTING MUSIC OUT CONSISTENTLY, OR AT LEAST HAVING THEM READY TO GO OUT, HAS ALSO BECOME A WAY OF CLEARING THE PATH FOR NEW SONIC SPACES I WANT TO EXPLORE."

What were your early years like?