Frizzell D'Souza, an emerging artiste in the Indian music scene, recently embarked on a tour to promote her second EP titled In My Asymmetry, released in July. This EP marks a significant evolution in her sound, diverging from her previous acoustic style to incorporate more electronic elements. The tour includes performances in major cities like Bengaluru, Delhi and Chennai, showcasing both her released tracks and unreleased material.
On her tour preparation play list, Frizzell talks about her obsession with John Mayer. She also cites Maggie Rogers as someone she looks up to for live performances. “She has incredible stage presence! Just to watch people who are so confident in their own skin, who can move around and dance on stage like no one’s watching... I don’t know if that feels good. It’s great to watch and learn. But yes, that also keeps me pumped while travelling or while envisioning my own gigs,” explains Frizzell.
As she brings her tour to Hyderabad, Frizzell expresses her excitement about connecting with audiences in different cities. Each performance offers a chance to engage with fans and gauge their reactions to her music. She emphasises the importance of creating memorable experiences for those who invest their time and resources to support her, ensuring her shows leave a lasting impression.
Frizzell’s journey into music began during her college years while she was studying architecture. Initially a hobby, music became a crucial outlet for her creativity, especially during the pandemic when she started writing her first single. The inspiration for In My Asymmetry came from a collaboration with Kappa Originals, a label based in Kerala. Frizzell aimed to explore themes of love beyond the romantic realm, focusing on friendships and familial bonds — topics often overlooked in contemporary music. “Around November-December, I was doing a winter tour with a bunch of festivals around the country and was simultaneously writing this EP. So, I would come back and write and then go record something in between,” recalls Frizzell, as she explains the creation of the EP.
Over a discussion on the visual nature of her music, Frizzell and then go record something in between,” recalls Frizzell, as she explains the creation of the EP. Over a discussion on the visual nature of her music, Frizzell shares that her songwriting often incorporates vivid imagery. With an abstract and metaphorical approach to her ideas, she shares the picture behind Paintbrushes in the Ground, the first song of the EP, “The song is about self-esteem — like having faith in yourself that things will work out in the end. The first verse is about a day when I didn’t realise how time flew by and I was alone in my apartment when it was almost dawn. So that visual picture is what started the entire idea of the song and then things just began to flow,” she elaborates.
While talking about her sound, Frizzell mentions her diverse musical influences, ranging from classic artistes like The Beatles and Eric Clapton to contempo rary singer-songwriters like Ed Sheeran and Dodie. She identifies her guitar playing — particular ly finger plucking — as a defin ing characteristic of her sound, along with the texture of her voice. This combination creates a distinctive style that resonates with listeners.
Story by Anshula Dhulekar