Starlight: Hyderabad-based artiste Peekay's soon-to-release project represents free-thinking 

Everything from Chuck Berry’s pounding, three-chord rockers and the sweet harmonies of the Beatles to the jarring, atonal white noise of Sonic Youth has been categorised as ‘rock.’ For most of its life, rock has been fragmented, spinning off new styles and variations every few years, from heavy metal to dance-pop and grunge. That is only natural for a genre that began its life as a fusion of styles.

Likewise, for Hyderabad-based artiste Peekay (Pranati Khanna), the sound of rock ’n’ roll is rarely predictable. She will soon present her impending debut album, Starlight which revolves around ‘the dialogue of our generation of artists, creators, dreamers and inventors,’ as she tells us. “I look forward to reviving rock as a genre, honest story-telling and art in whatever small way I can,” Peekay adds. She focuses on No Ordinary, a deeply personal track from Starlight.

Peekay recalls being conditioned to believe that she would never be good enough — the childhood self-hatred to which most school teachers would push us — till the damage is done beyond repair. “Be it teachers who told me, I would amount to nothing or an education system that paid no attention to talent or even a cheating partner who diminished my worth, nothing stops me. Whatever I do — it is not regular as pre-established by structures,” she tells us, adding that she is more than happy to be identified as a non-conformist.

A kid from a household wherein rock and pop music would play daily, she was also taught traditional cultural practices by her grandmother. Thus, with Starlight, she assures that she will deliver postmodern music.

Starlight will stream on all music platforms from August 11. —  chokita@newindianexpress. com @PaulChokita