Raman Negi unveils new song; teases upcoming album as a culmination of indie identity

Singer and songwriter Raman Negi has become a household name among rock music fans across the country. His stint with the popular band The Local Train has marked his prominence as an iconic voice in contemporary Indian rock music. Raman is one independent album old (Shakhsiyat — released in 2023) and is now gearing up to release the first single, Kismet, from his second album. We chatted with him ahead of its release today and learned about the themes he explored with this song, how his second album will stand out, and more.

“The sound of this new album is going to be different from my first, Shakhsiyat. Kismet is going to be the single that will introduce this album, which we’re planning to release in September. It will have eight tracks, and this song captures the feeling of being grateful when you meet some cool people — those who support you in your journey and life,” he says, adding, “After Shakhsiyat, I did not stop writing. I kept writing new material, and I zeroed in on this album. With the song, I’m trying to explore new sonic spaces for the album, and that’s something I have never done before.” Raman further reveals that this song and album are the culmination of his identity as an independent artiste.

Discussing how this album will stand out when compared to the first, he explains, “Shakhsiyat was very inward-looking. Through the album, I figured out what my true voice is. With the second album, the themes that I explore are more outwardly. It is about how I look at the world and my take on people, fame, society, relationships, and moving on. I feel like I have fallen into a different type of songwriting with this album, and in that scenario, as I explore the world, I also look at what my stand in it is and how I feel about what others think of who an artiste really is.” He assures us that the album will explore a different type of storytelling and sound, which are his major motivating factors.

As Raman explores himself as an artiste further in his projects, we ask the artiste how much more congruent is the artiste with his goal now, a couple of years after exiting The Local Train. He replies, “The whole point of me venturing out by myself was to explore my voice as an independent artiste, in order to explore my potential. Congruence can only come when you have put yourself in different situations as an artiste. You will grow as an artiste only if you get out of your comfort zone,” he adds.

Kismet releases today on YouTube and other audio

Stay tuned for the full conversation on The Indulge Podcast on Spotify.