THE SIEGE REFUSES TO FAKE IT

No gimmicks, no branding—just unfiltered stories from the ground up

- PEONY HIRWANI

The Siege is not one for pretending. He doesn’t care for positioning or building a brand around something he doesn’t believe in. “I’m not a rapper who’s constantly out there selling myself,” he says, seated calmly, almost quietly. “But when I do speak, I know I have something to say.”

That ethos runs through his music—layered, introspective, and free of theatrics. Tracks like “Kabhi Na Mili” and “Ek Din” don’t scream for attention; they sit with you. With each verse, The Siege (real name Siegen Moopanar) constructs a mirror—not just to his world, but to the world reflected in every listener’s experience. His lyricism, often scripted from everyday moments and conversations, carries the weight of lived experience. “Most of what I write is based on what I’ve seen or heard around me,” he shares. “Real things people have said.”

He’s not afraid to ask difficult questions—about class, about identity, about where we're all really headed. Whether it’s the frustration and realism in “CBSC” or the emotions embedded in “Salim,” Siege refuses to trade honesty for trends. “I’m not interested in gimmicks,” he says. “If I’m going to put something out, it has to come from somewhere real.”