At the age of 19, singer-songwriter Kiara Chettri has already made waves with her enchanting voice and soul-stirring lyrics. She started learning music at age four and graduated from the Trinity College of London in vocals, when she was only 13. It's no wonder she became the youngest Indian artiste to hit the #1 spot on the World Indie Music Charts with her single 'Why.' Kiara's lyrics possess a depth and wisdom that surpass her years. With a voice that carries both vulnerability and strength, she weaves tales of love, longing, and self-discovery that resonate deeply with her young listeners.
In her chart-topping single 'Why,' Kiara delved into the questions that haunt us when relationships unravel, leaving us with aching hearts and a desperate need to understand what went wrong. In her latest single 'Cold,' which was released earlier this year, she explores one-sided, estranged love. Kiara worked with young Moscow-based music producer George Porlemad, who is also a talented guitarist. “For this song, my main inspiration was actually from a lot of scenes that I see in rom-com movies. I remember watching a movie and there was a scene where the girl and the guy who used to have history together have now separated and end up bumping into each other in a place that they used to go to when they were together. The girl is still in love with the guy but the guy has moved on as he's seen holding hands with his wife. I found this type of scene is in so many movies, especially rom-coms. I don’t know what struck me, but my brain just told me to write a song about it,” says the teen popstar from Delhi, who is currently pursuing an Honours course in Popular Music Performance and Music Business at the BIMM Institute, London, UK. She finds life in Delhi and London “pretty much the same”. Says Kiara, “The only difference is that I get to study music here but other than that, it’s honestly the same.”
A still from her music video 'Cold' |
However, it's not just the themes she touches upon that make Kiara's songs so captivating. It's the way she crafts her words. Each line is carefully woven, painting vivid images and evoking emotions. They not only reflect her personal experiences but also serve as a mirror through which we can reflect upon our own lives. “I take inspiration from things in my everyday life when it comes to my songwriting,” she told FPJ in an interview from London. The dream pop track has an equally dreamy music video shot by rising English filmmaker Matu Harvey, largely in London's iconic Hyde Park.
The video for Cold was shot in Hyde Park. Why this location?
I always knew that if 'Cold' were to have a music video, I wanted it to be shot at Hyde Park. I wanted it to be simple and haunting but never really knew exactly how to make it look more exciting than just another video in a park. Matu Harvey – the director, cinematographer and editor of this video – had many sessions to discuss and its treatment. He came up with some great ideas. We didn’t want to create a man-made set. We knew that we wanted to make the video as relatable as possible so shooting it on this location was a great idea, because that could happen to anyone. People go to parks to sit with their thoughts all the time.
Watch the music video 'Cold' by Kiara Chettri here:
As a 17-year-old Class 12 student, you were the youngest Indian artist to hit #1 on the World Indie Music Charts in 2021. How much has life changed in these two years?
My life has changed so much since I graduated high school. It has been an amazing journey for me and I have met such talented people to collaborate with here in London. Back when I was still in school, I couldn’t do only music since I did have my academics to take care of as well. Now, since my education is music, my whole life revolves around music and as an artist, I couldn’t ask for more. I am super grateful for all the achievements that I have accomplished and the people around me who have made this possible for me.
The pandemic saw the emergence of many singer-songwriters. How did that period – when the world had literally shut down – help you hone your craft?
The pandemic did definitely help independent artists a lot and I’m happy that people finally started listening to what they were missing out on and stopped sleeping on independent artists. During that time, being forced to stay in the house and not meet anyone was something my brain definitely needed. My creative juices were flowing like crazy and all I could think about was writing. This taught me a lot about myself as a songwriter and artist.
Tell us about your past collabs with New Delhi/ New York producer Rohan Solomon.
KC: I have had a blast working with Rohan. We have worked on three tracks in total and I’m so happy with how they turned out. He has some great ideas and an amazing work ethic. On my first session with him, I felt like I was working with someone I’ve known for years and years because he made me feel super comfortable.
Stream the chart-topper 'Why' here:
As a teenager on the precipice of adulting, do you feel you have a better connect with what Gen Z wants to hear?
When scrolling through social media, I have a perfect understanding of exactly what kind of music Gen Z wants to hear but I’ve promised myself never to follow trends into my original music. I would never make a track according to what Gen Z wants to hear if it isn’t true to myself as an artist and my identity. If it’s something that I genuinely connect with and it happens to be trending on social media, then yes. But other than that, I wouldn’t do it.
Which Indian musicians/producers are on your list of dream collaborators?
This is definitely a tricky question since I have so many. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have been among my favourite artists for a long time and the fact that I got to be on Ehsaan Sir’s Live chat on Instagram, is crazy to me. Sonu Nigam is another singer I am in awe of. I recently saw him perform live in London and I was moved.
