Heartbreaks are the worst but you can also learn a lot from them. Mumbai-born Los Angeles-based artist Natania Lalwani opened up about her new track “Nautanki” which explores heartbreak as a means to rediscover oneself, a song that integrates Indian classical musical instruments with contemporary sounds to make something truly unique.
Now residing in Los Angeles, Natania has come a long way from the streets of Mumbai to make her own identity in the space of contemporary music. “When I went to LA I didn’t know anything about songwriting, I spent 3 years in college really working on the craft of songwriting. I think that really laid the foundation for me.”
“LA is honestly such an inspiring place when you’re in music, you are surrounded by so much talent and most often you’re never the best one in the room (which I love), you learn from creatives every day,” explaining how it was like to start afresh and then gain popularity.
From one “Nautanki” to another, here are the edited excerpts of our exclusive chat:
Q: Can you walk us through the creative process of making Nautanki?
A: I picked up the guitar at about 2 am and I just started singing “When I see forest green I can’t help but think of you” and had written a bit of it that night. The next day I went into the studio with David Bu and Subhi and we shaped it out a bit more. I was so excited about it that I then called my friends Aman and Zaiyd to add their spark to it and wanted to finish the song that night. I made everyone stay up way past their bedtimes but we had such a blast making the record.
Q: Nautanki integrates traditional Indian music and Western sensibilities. How do you approach the fusion? Can you explain the concept for the music video?
A: I try not to think too much about it and just go with my instinct. They merge because that’s who I am at my core, both these cultures and sounds – it truly feels the most like me.
I had an idea of having a bunch of girls to celebrate girlhood and get some boys to show all the different characters in the dating world we live in – that’s when Sharic Sequeira, the director, came in and took the idea from 1 to 1000%. He added such a cool spin to it, making it about finding your match, cause every nautanki needs another nautanki in this crazy world. It was so great being on the same page every step of the way and he set everything up from the actors to styling and direction.
Q: How has moving from Mumbai to Los Angeles impacted your songwriting and musical style?
A: When I went to LA, I didn’t know anything about songwriting, I spent 3 years in college really working on the craft of songwriting. I think that really laid the foundation for me. LA is honestly such an inspiring place when you’re in the music space. You are surrounded by so much talent and most often you’re never the best one in the room (which l love), you learn from creatives every day.
With my songwriting, I’m always trying to get a little clever, or out-of-the-box to push myself out of my comfort zone. I think that happens naturally when you’re surrounded by like-minded people.
Q: You’ve transitioned from writing for major artists like J Balvin and Skrillex to stepping into the spotlight yourself. What inspired this shift?
A: I was really happy being in the studio writing for other artists. I signed my first publishing deal with Roc Nation last year and the co-founder Ty Ty had just started a South Asian label with Shabz Naqvi called Desi Trill. Their passion and excitement convinced me over an early morning phone call talking about footprints of culture and legacy and I was in. It honestly feels like the universe aligned it all for me and it was the best decision I’ve ever made.
It’s definitely more vulnerable telling my own stories – but that’s the fun of it, right?
Q: Nautanki was featured in Katrina Kaif’s Kay Beauty bridal campaign. What can you tell us about this collaboration?
A: I’ve been so excited about this campaign. Her team had reached out to me after hearing my song “Gulzar” and asked if I had anything new in the pipeline. I sent them “Nautanki” and they loved it. I think the song is so celebratory and emotional that it fits the bold nature of the beauty campaign just seamlessly.
Q: You’ve written for major brand campaigns and shows like Only Murders in the Building and M3GAN. How does writing for global sync differ from writing personal music?
A: I think with sync I’m usually never writing anything too personal – it’s just fun. I also have a very go-getter, conquer-the-world kind of side to me so I tend to write a lot of motivational/driven songs when it comes to sync to express that side of me.
Q: After writing for artists like Armaan Malik and King in India, and now signing with Desi Trill, how do you see yourself bridging the gap between Indian and global music scenes?
A: It’s always been my main goal to bridge the gap from the beginning. It was exciting doing it for “Echo” with Kshmr, Eric Nam and Armaan Malik and for “Maan Meri Jaan/Afterlife” with King and Nick Jonas. I felt super proud being a part of records like these that broke the barriers.
I’m excited now for what’s to come with me being the face of my music and collaborating on the front lines.
Q: What drew you to sign with Desi Trill, and how does their mission of ‘Brown is Everywhere’ align with your own artistic vision?
A: I loved the idea of them being so supportive of blending language and culture without any barriers. It’s always fun sending them new music because they’re so passionate about it. They have so much belief in South Asian music and culture and it makes me proud and grateful to be a part of it.
DESI TRILL, co-founded by Shabz Naqvi and Ty-Ty Smith, champions a fusion of hip-hop, R&B, and South Asian music, with a mission to elevate South Asian voices on the global stage.