Suvi is no stranger to reinvention. From rising to fame with Sony Music India’s pop band S5 to collaborating with the likes of AR Rahman and Ricky Kej, she has navigated film music, electronic pop, rap, and international circuits with ease. Her new single, Back to the Roots, produced by Duke Mushroom and B.K.L.A, is a sonic exploration of origin and authenticity, pairing organic textures with contemporary electronic production. SUVI turns deeply personal here, using Tamil, English, and Malayalam to map the cultural influences that define her artistry. We speak with SUVI to learn more about her track.
Back To The Roots is described as a sonic exploration of identity. Can you elaborate on the same?
We often become who we were told to be, who is convenient for others, or who our social conditioning shaped us into. Over time, all of that becomes identity, both real and unreal at once. There’s a constant tug of war between what feels true and what does not. Through deep introspection, I realised the version of me between ages 5 and 9 came closest to who I truly am, innocent, creative, and fully drawn to what I loved every day, whether that was singing, dancing, painting, or playing. That childlike essence is what I was sonically exploring through this song.
How did you balance the earthly sounds of the Peruvian bamboo flute with the cosmic feel of a deep electronic bass line during the production?
That was very easy…. Duke Mushroom and I went with the sounds that was most resonant with us intuitively. Nothing was forced, it all flowed from our hearts like water. Duke Mushroom is an incredible artist/music producer and his sense of sound is a whole universe that needs its own cosmic exploration. You haven’t heard anything yet.
The track blends Tamil, English, and touches of Malayalam. How do you decide which language captures the emotion of a specific lyric or melody during the songwriting process?
I’ve learned that language does not define who we are. It is only a vessel, a way of translating what lives inside us into something that can be shared. But even then, what we say is always received through the emotional world of the listener. As someone who speaks, thinks, and understands three languages, moving between sounds, tones, and emotion has always felt instinctive to me. For me, expression is not always about precision. Sometimes it is about energy, feeling, and truth. That freedom feels natural, and I know I am not alone in that. My team at Quriosity has also encouraged me to stop compartmentalising myself and to let every part of who I am be seen: artiste, writer, mother, wife, singer, rapper, DJ, producer, multilingual soul. So I’m choosing to show up fully, without filtering any part of it, because that wholeness is the truest version of me.
You worked with Duke Mushroom and the LA-based duo BKLA on this track. How did these different global influences help shape your single?
Duke Mushroom and I have collaborated on many soul-led projects over the years, from songs about healing the planet to music that empowers people. Our process has always been deeply organic and hands-on. B.K.L.A and I, on the other hand, have never actually created in the same room, yet even working remotely, we’ve always been able to capture the heart of what we’re trying to say. These guys are incredible and truly understand my sound. Together, this team is a force of nature you cannot ignore.
From your early days with the pop band S5 to your current work, how has your musical identity evolved over the years?
When I joined S5 at 17, I had no formal musical training and did not come from a musical background. Looking back, I really believe there was a larger purpose unfolding in my life before I even understood it myself. Music opened up a completely new world for me, one that felt both unexpected and deeply transformative. Since then, I have simply continued to follow that inner calling, and it has shaped both my journey and my identity as an artist. What I love most is who I am growing into through it all: someone strong, self-assured, original, and completely unafraid to express herself.
What has been the biggest challenge in carving out an independent career after being part of a major label pop band?
My career is unfolding at the exact pace it was meant to, shaping both me and my nervous system to hold what I am destined for. I no longer see obstacles as challenges, only as moments of redirection, sacred pivot points guiding me deeper into myself. If I have endured this path for over 20 years, then I know I am more than capable of thriving through all the years still to come. Everything is arriving in its own divine timing. And if there is one ache within it all, it is only the wish that those closest to me might understand the purpose behind my journey. But even that is not mine to control. Whether they choose to see it or not belongs entirely to them.
Email: apurva.p@newindianexpress.com
X: @appurvaa_
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