South Indian classical violinist Apoorva Krishna has released her new album Only Love Is Real. The album, which is being pitched for a Grammy nomination, is a deeply personal project which blends the purity of her Carnatic roots with contemporary soundscapes, exploring themes of self-discovery and the enduring power of love.
The seven-song album will see a staggered release, with each song's video premiering on YouTube one week at a time. The first video, titled White, was released on August 29.
The album features collaborations with a roster of incredible artistes, including Grammy Nominee Varijashree Venugopal, Oscar Award Winner Vijay Prakash and Grammy Awardee and founder of Snarky Puppy, Michael League. A standout track, Merging Parallels: For Zakir Ji, a re-imagined version of a piece that received the 70th Annual BMI Student Composer Honorable Mention Award and was inspired by Ustad Zakir Hussain’s request for her to solo over the form. Another track, Surrender, featuring Michael League, blends violin, oud, and voice with the simple feeling of gratitude and inner peace.
"It's a sound born from simply being, not blending...it's rooted in my Indian classical tradition and shaped by the many worlds I've lived, learned from, and loved,” says Apoorva. The album’s title itself is a personal mantra.
"The title is a truth I return to, again and again," she says. "In moments of uncertainty, loss, growth, and joy, one thing remains: love, whether it is divine, familial, community, romantic, or self-love. This album was born from that realisation," Apoorva added.
The seven-song album offers a sonic journey that is both intricate and emotionally resonant. The track Sacred Roots is a deeply personal tribute to Indian classical music, bringing together the Carnatic violin and Hindustani sarangi. Another track, Song of the Heart, is a surrender to the unknown, a dance of trust and acceptance that moves through the deepest corners of the artist's heart, where desires and fears intertwine, revealing the one truth that remains and sustains her. The force that is always present through every moment: love.
Apoorva has graced prestigious stages worldwide and has performed with legendary artists such as John McLaughlin, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Shankar Mahadevan and Bombay Jayashri. Her previous album, Intuition, which featured Shankar Mahadevan on the track Ragamaya, celebrated the fusion of Indian classical music with world music.
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