Ananya’s debut EP, a genre-blending five-song project, blends Indian classical music with Western folk/pop songwriting. Laced throughout is the veena, a centuries-old South Indian string instrument, reimagined in an emotionally raw, contemporary sonic landscape. More than a fusion, the project is a meeting place between Ananya’s cultural heritage and the environment she grew up in—two cultures coming together not in compromise, but in recognition of themselves and each other. Exploring themes of nostalgia, immigrant identity, self-doubt, and emotional recovery, the work reflects Ananya’s journey as an Indian-American artist navigating multiple musical and personal worlds.

My vision is to create a first-of-its-kind sound that blends English-language folk/pop songwriting with Carnatic phrasing and veena textures — not as background ornamentation, but as an integral storytelling voice. Inspired by artists across many genres, this EP carries forward a lineage of soul-baring storytelling while embedding melodic and rhythmic traditions from South India. My goal is to create music that is emotionally accessible, culturally rich, and sonically unique.

— Ananya