The paradox of Urban Folk perfectly describes the sound of ShNik: Nikhita Gandhi

Nikhita and Shashwat have been some of the most talented artists for a long time in the industry. Having carved their own successful careers, they have now joined hands to form a duo by the name ShNik. With their first song ‘Kaahe’, they have created a unique sound which we are compelled to call Urban Folk. A term paradoxical in nature, however, Urban Folk aptly describes their sound. As they look to release more of their work under ShNik, we took sometime out of their busy schedule to have a candid chat, here is what they have to say;

Tell us about the creation of ShNik

Nikhita: Shashwat and I have known each other for a long time, even before we started working in the film music. We have watched each other grow as artists. We have been writing music that has a specific sound in the Hip Hop/Folk genre. Having said that, our audiences are quite commercial, which also made us start this duo of ours as an experimental yet authentic project to showcase our artistry which is beyond the usual commercial work of ours.

What were your first thoughts about creating ShNik?

Nikhita: We started as commercial artists moving into an independent duo, which is pretty much the opposite of what most artists do. Once you are used to big hits, creating independent music can be quite a daunting a task. When you are writing and releasing your own music, it is way different from when you are lending vocals to films music. It is exciting to us for us to see the two worlds of our coming together. It is also quite a hard work put behind towards making an independent song come about.

With ‘Kaahe’, your sound can be termed as Urban Folk, a paradoxical term, yet quite apt. How did this come about?

Nikhita: Like you said, the paradox of Urban Folk perfectly describes the sound of ShNik. Our roots are Indian, we have grown up on Indian Classical, Folk music, etc. but we have also been listening to R&B, Rock, Hip Hop etc. With our sound, we want to create a world where the roots are Indian but is urban relatable to all kinds of audiences.

Watch ‘Kaahe’ here:

What made you take this leap into creating ShNik having been commercially successful seeing the big numbers that you see?

Nikhita: To us it is all for the love of music. It is not about the status or numbers but about reaching to the audience in the most authentic way. We have been doing independent music, but ShNik will be about the music we write together.

Shashwat: There is a set standard in the industry about how a song needs to be made. With ShNik it is just about the music that appeals to us, and we would like to put it forward to our audience.

How does the year 2025 look like?

Nikhita: We have a lot of music planned. Currently, we are fragmented into three parts, film music, our independent music and the music coming out of ShNik. We are going to release a song every two months from our collective work as a duo. ‘Kaahe’ is the first release, and we have already shot the second song as we speak. All these songs will be a part of an album eventually.

How do you plan to make ShNik reach to a wider audience?

Shashwat: Currently our main focus is to keep making music for ShNik. Once we have a catalogue in place, then shows, merchandise, other things come into play. However, at this stage the focus is to create more music and create an identity of ShNik through its catalogue.

Nikhita: The most important thing for an artist to do is to be completely honest about what he or she is creating. If its authentic, audiences will see through it and appreciate it. Doing something for trends or gaps may not work best. The most realistic way one can connect with his or her audience is by being truthful, and this what we are trying to be with ShNik. We want our audience to see all our artistic side, it is going to be a continuous process of evolution.

What aspects, in your opining, build a Brand of an artist?

Nikhita: The key element in my opinion is visual branding. Music industry has, for a long time, been an adjunct industry to film industry. This is changing at a fast pace. Digital followership becomes a key index, in my view. However, it is important for an artist to strike a balance between the Spotify monthly listenership (audio followership) vs Instagram engagement (visual followership).

Well, while we talk of Brands, Nikhita and Shashwat are themselves some of the most known names of the industry. ShNik definitely looks to enhance their repertoire as well as impact, not just as artists but also as identities. We look forward to more of their work, till then keep streaming ‘Kaahe’.