The music in India is popping at the moment, with diverse artists bringing their own little touch to it. Many are also adopting unique monikers, ones that define them as an artist, ones that give them a sense of anonymity or ones that simply sound cool.
Intrigued by why some of the artists are choosing to perform under stage names and monikers we wanted to know the story behind them. Were they an attempt to channel a new avatar or personality? To give a project a specific image? Or just a creative leap?
Here is what seven of your favourite artists had to say.
I. Apartment Upstairs
Vocalist-guitarist Rohan Pai and drummer Shourjo Chatterjee form the alternative-rock band Apartment Upstairs. “Even though we met in our first week of college, we didn’t start creating and putting out music till the end of our second year. Since then, it’s become clear that music is what we want to spend the rest of our lives devoted to making and performing. We’ve put two EPs out so far, and plan to release another collection of songs by the end of the year” they tell us.
“You know the feeling of hearing a cool song playing in someone else’s house and wondering who the artist is? That sense of mystery is what we want to tap into and where we want to direct people through our name.”
“The origin story behind our moniker is admittedly a little boring: back in our first year of college we desperately needed a band name but couldn’t think of one that we all liked. In the end, we chose the phrase ‘the apartment upstairs’ from a TV show we all liked. Gradually we realised that it actually ended up suiting the kind of music we play well. You know the feeling of hearing a cool song playing in someone else’s house and wondering who the artist is? That sense of mystery is what we want to tap into and where we want to direct people through our name. We’d like to think that if you heard our songs playing in the house above, your ears would take you there. The apartment upstairs, where you’ll find us, is always playing good music. It also added a sense of space for us as musicians to think about the ‘apartment upstairs’ as being a place where we go to unwind as artists, find new inspiration and bring together a range of ideas to create tracks.”
II. Bawari Basanti
Mahima Dayal Mathur who plays under the moniker of Bawari Basanti is a New Delhi-based Hindustani classical music and folk music singer. The artist is best known for her powerful and evocative vocals that have the ability to bring out one’s emotions. Couple that with her immense knowledge of classical music and you have an artist you want to keep coming back to.
“My car was dhanno and I became basanti.”
“In college, my friends and I pooled in to take my old car, that we all lovingly called, ‘dhanno’ to north campus every day. Dhanno would also break down or give us some trouble every other day. But we loved her, with all her flaws. My car was dhanno and I became basanti. Bawari came into the picture later, when I began to realise how Basanti’s character in Sholay never really got her due. She always had to depend on the men in the cult film Sholay, to determine her actions. So that’s when I decided to make Basanti more Bawari through my art.”
III. Krantinaari
Mumbai-based dynamic conscious rapper Ashwini Hiremath aka Krantinaari is known for her raps that are bold, honest, and don’t hold back from commenting on social issue. A multidisciplinary, female-centric artist, her stories circle around self experiences as a woman in society through music and art. She a believer of a sustainable lifestyle and has self-published a book called ‘Earth’ that is all about sustainability.
“I called not myself but representative for every women Krantinaari.”
“It’s a very funny story actually. I used to address myself as MC Bold before I resonated with Krantinaari. It took a while to come to this name. I was writing my first rap song and every single day I used to travel in the train thinking about my song. From Andheri to Colaba and Colaba to Goregaon ( to learn music ) I used to wonder what is my core vision with my art. While I was writing about women, at this time I was studying feminism and their branches. The research was done everything was good but one thing that wasn’t striking was the hook of the song. After months of repeating the thought on the paper there was one corner in which I had repeatedly written Krantikaari and everytime I sung it I used to think of a man as a revolutionary because the idea of a women being revolutionary wasn’t printed in our heads. Hence I coined a name called Krantinaari. As every women in revolutionary since the time she is born. Taking birth as a girl child in this world is still an everyday conversation of concern to celebrate our revolution. I called not myself but representative for every woman Krantinaari.”
IV. Mizuchi
For the past two years, Mumbai-based Mizuchi aka Varun Kapadia had been headed towards becoming one of the biggest rappers of our generation. But experimentative as he is, the 22-year old musician is now geared towards an entire genre shift from the world of hip-hop to an exploration into the realm of electronic music; mainly melodic techno and house.
“I am also obsessed with dragons, so this name felt perfect. It crossed all the boxes: synonymity in meaning to real name, an ode to Japanese culture and connection to my inner spirit - a dragon.”
“As a kid I was strongly moved by Japanese film and fashion, inspired by anime like Dragon Ball Z, Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion and films by Hayao Miyazaki. When I was looking for a name, I wanted there to be some connection to my real identity, maybe something synonymous in meaning to my real name Varun - which in Hindu mythology means God of the Oceans. I happened to come across ‘Mizuchi’ which is a type of Japanese dragon or legendary serpent-like creature connected to water and considered to be a water deity. I am also obsessed with dragons, so this name felt perfect. It crossed all the boxes: synonymity in meaning to real name, an ode to Japanese culture and connection to my inner spirit - a dragon.”
V. OAFF
Mumbai-based music producer Kabeer Kathpalia is best known as his moniker OAFF, a fixture on the independent music scene since 2018, the producer’s signature sounds that are a blend of atmospheric electronica and accessible, feel-good pop are almost inimitable. It is this very talent that took the artist’s productions to a more mainstream audience earlier this year with his song productions for the film Gehraiyaan.
“Someone recently sent me a screen shot of one of those whatsapp quiz groups where the question was ‘which artists moniker means silly, foolish person?’ so I think it’s catching on.”
“OAFF comes from oaf, which basically means awkward foolish person. I found that to be pretty relatable. I can be awkward and foolish, and sometimes accepting that part allows one to be free in creating new things. I was really confused about if I should switch to Kabeer Kathpalia for Gehraiyaan but in the end, I stayed with it and I think it was a good idea. Someone recently sent me a screenshot of one of those Whatsapp quiz groups where the question was ‘Which artist moniker means silly, foolish person?’ so I think it’s catching on.”
VI. PinaColada Blues
Kevin Shaji aka PinaColada Blues is an upcoming indie-electronic producer from Kochi with an extremely interesting moniker. The artist does not confine to a single genre and dabbles across sounds that include Indian instruments, dream, electro-pop, trap, hybrid trap, hip-hop, RnB, Carnatic and eastern infused western styles.
“I thought why not use Pina Colada. Not a fan of the drink, but the name sounded fun.”
“It was at the time of releasing my debut single I felt the need to not use my real name and use a moniker instead. The main reason was, that I didn’t want a very specific individual name behind the music. I wanted a very unique name which also gives off the vibe of what I make. As I am someone not afraid to blend genres and styles and languages in my music, I knew the moniker would have a cocktail name. And I thought why not use Pina Colada..not a fan of the drink..but the name sounded fun. That merged with my favourite colour and mood - Blue/Blues is the origin of my moniker”.
VII. Tribe Mama Marykali
Singer-composer Anna Katharina Valayil aka Tribemama Marykali is a force to reckon with – a voice that cannot be ignored. The genre-blending artist’s compositions also often times reflect on her multicultural roots and how they have defined her musical sensibility. Her moniker too derives from the duality of her personality.
“Tribe Mama Marykali is my constant attempt to integrate myself to adapt and evolve as a human being.”
“Human beings are a tribal race and it was seen as primitive by the colonizers. For me, it’s about embracing my ethnicity and ancestors, who are a part of a civilization that regarded the earth as very sacred and as something that was shared by all of us. Plants, animals, and all living things had their space and human beings interacted with them but respected their boundaries. The idea of the human race ruling the earth is a very egoistic and toxic approach towards this planet, it is from this profound thought I coined the name Tribe Mama.
Marykali is the result of the reality I live in, which is dualistic. Mary strokes the ego and Kali strikes the ego. Mary came to me crossing many seas and she taught me a lot about comforting the disturbed. Whereas Kali showed me from where I come, what no colonizer could ever erase from my bloodline. No one has ever attempted to modify this Archetype Goddess to suit anyone’s convenience as she disturbs the comfort and pushes one towards advancement and self-realization.
Art is meant to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable. That’s exactly what Marykali did once with her work; comforted a few and disturbed a few. Tribe Mama Marykali is my constant attempt to integrate myself to adapt and evolve as a human being.”
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