New Releases and Old Nostalgia: An Interview with Gayathri Krishnan
Engulfed by sunny California and a true Leo sun at heart, Gayathri Krishnan is an embodiment of divine energy. With her take on NPR’s Tiny Desk concerts, Gayathri Krishnan has re-released a live version of “eat ur greens” that is sure to bring light to what this singer-songwriter has to offer. Her debut 2020 EP “Create to Express” tackles themes of healing and love in the most non-traditional forms. What’s to come from Gayathri Krishnan in the future is one that flows from a place of care and community.
Contributing writer Alyanna Moralda had the wonderful opportunity to chat with Gayathri about her former demos, what is next to come, familial love over music, and linear healing.
Alyanna Moralda: Hi Gayathri! It’s so wonderful to be here with you! Thank you for making space and time for me! How are you feeling?
Gayathri Krishnan: “Likewise, thank you so much! I’m excited to speak with you!”
AM: Congratulations on your “eat ur greens (live)” track released on streaming platforms! I wanted to make a connection because in the original track with SisterCody, they say, “That’s why I call my mama and make sure she’s alright,” and in your song “tell me we’re alright,” you make a reference to your Amma and Appa while recognizing familial structure in your song “444.” As someone like yourself who was inspired to go to Berklee College because of your Amma and grandma, how else does your family inspire the music and other various arts you make along the way?
GK: “My family is my biggest blessing! I grew up with a family all for the arts: my dad sings, my mom writes poetry, and my brother plays the keyboard. They are the pillars of my life! A lot of love is also portrayed in the romantic sense, even though familial love is just as fulfilling. I just want to show that there’s different kinds of love out there, and that’s really the meaning behind those songs!”
AM: You’ve mentioned in a podcast show about the balance between getting criticism and using the aforementioned in how you perceive your own growth and work. When you were still in Berklee, especially being surrounded by other musicians and creatives, were there a lot of highs and lows that you felt, or even a balance when it came to creating music that was personal to you or doing work that was up to your university’s standards?
GK: “In the beginning, I used to compare myself but this comparison really stemmed from how I didn’t know what I wanted to do. When you face this uncertainty about the path you want to take, you start to take mental notes on what you’ve done and what others have done. To me, a comparison is really about “you want to do what someone else is doing but you don’t know how to do it.”
I fell into my own rhythm eventually, and I actually didn’t make a majority of my music at Berklee, rather I started doing so during the pandemic! This was around the time I met my producer as well. I recorded more at home than at Berklee, and this played into the non-comparison mentality gradually.”
AM: Your style as a musician is one that I, and countless others, can say is “healing.” You even explore this theme in, “Illusion,” with hints of curiosity oozing into the lyrics. Just as you ask in the song, “What’s my purpose in this journey?” do you believe that you have found yours, especially at our young age?
GK: “I feel like I’m uncovering my purpose through releasing music. Each release and exploration of sound guides me to the next. All I hope is that my music helps people feel, and inspires the creation of more art.”
AM: Given that you are based in California where you can really soak up the sun and place that energy and light to your demos, are there any places nationwide or worldwide that you would want to visit in hopes of the lifestyle and climate inspiring your art?
GK: “I really want to visit Bali! I love the architecture of the temples and the greenery. I would also like to visit Rajasthan, Varanasi, and the Himalayas!”
AM: You mentioned in another interview (with VoyageLA) that you “hope to break boundaries by exploring the space between Indian and Western music.” Your listeners can definitely hear this theme in your songs, “Home” and “Illusion.” I wanted to know, what non-Western and Indian forms of entertainment were really influential in your endeavors?
GK: “My dad is a big fan of Indian fusion! We have a bunch of CDs from so many Indian fusion bands and singers: Bombay Jayashri and John McLaughlin. I didn’t even know this but my dad was a CD junkie when I was younger, and there was always some Carnatic music playing, or my mom was playing some type of chant, or my brother was playing Sufi music. If you walked into my house, there was always some type of music taking up space. I was also trained in Carnatic, so you can definitely see consistent themes from that genre in my discography.
I was reading another interview by an artist I admire who said that “when we’re little, we learn things and they almost become a language for us.” I resonated with this because carnatic language is a language for me that I learned and has been inherently sewn into me. It’s just the way I sing.”
AM: Your EP “Create to Express” was released in October of 2020, with most, if not all of us, experiencing the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. As someone who has also previously stated that the song “444” is an angel number that “encouraged you and strengthened your faith in yourself and your music,” what else has really propelled you to release this debut, especially in a time where live music had to be minimized?
GK: “I think I was very naive to the whole process because, at that point, I knew I wanted to be a singer! Those moments of innocence where you go, “I’m going to drop this and it’s going to blow up” was something I heavily told myself. I would write every day in this pink journal (that’s lost to this day) that “444” would give me millions! Even before recording, I would tell myself that it was going to be big and that it would happen!”
AM: On your Instagram, your listeners know that you partook in this mindful art event called Healing through sound, where you spearheaded this sound bath. Where do you see yourself right now in terms of healing: does it feel linear at the moment or is it in continuous waves? Where do you feel the most peace?
GK: “I feel like healing is a lifelong process. We all carry stories, but it’s those stories that connect people, and form intimacy and connections. I definitely feel the safest and feel the most peace when I’m creating music or first writing down an idea. That’s why I’m really excited about this new music because it’s the same but also different compared to my former works. It’s definitely more honest and raw, and the lyrics are more intense in a way where they’re more truthful. Before I would feel like the concept of healing would be something as romanticized as sound baths but in its entirety, it’s messy. There are days when you’re screaming and crying and days when you want to meditate. I want to show my audience exactly this: a different side to the healing process.”
AM: We are midway into 2023! Are there any upcoming projects we can expect to surface soon?
GK: “I have a single dropping April 28th, which will set the tone for future music in the works! I’m really excited, and although I was scared before, I know the community I’ve created around my music just wants me to show up as myself and as honest I can be! I have a bigger project in the making, and I’ll actually be in India for it! It’s this whole journey and I’m excited for what’s to come!”
AM: Where can periphery readers find and support you through your journey as an artist?
GK: “I definitely do want to make a Discord or some form of texting/email chain for my new releases! It’s something I’m working towards! There are more sound baths, improvisational, and pop-up events to keep an eye open for, and I’m thrilled about how I’ll be rolling out this new music!”
Periphery Magazine thanks Gayathri Krishnan for her contribution, and wishes her luck with her future releases! You can find her on social media and streaming platforms here:
Instagram: @gayathriikrishnan
Twitter: @444Gayathri
Tik Tok: @gayathriikrishnan
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2taq1DRlIQkpVGINnWdVht?si=UJ-YaQp2S36J6iQZNzd0Qg
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg58fNRFvXcigXk90BOpsLA
If you are interested in being featured in Periphery Magazine’s interview series surrounding interesting people in creative roles, please contact Madison Case at theperipheryzine@gmail.com.