Emotional honesty and self-discovery lie at the heart of Spiral Theory, the debut EP from Bangalore-based singer-songwriter Riddhi Rao. Through five deeply personal tracks, the emerging artiste explores recurring emotional patterns and the process of breaking free from cycles that no longer serve her.
Born to parents from Mangalore and Mysore, Rao notes that the idea of Spiral Theory emerged from a period of self-reflection. The five-track EP: Nice, Locked Up, Spiral, Too Much and Rise Up traces an emotional journey through relationships and personal growth. “The songs are personal to me, since most of what I’ve written has come from introspection and an analysis of difficult emotions that I’ve seen and experienced. The EP was inspired by what I could only describe as a spiral, and recognising patterns in my behaviour and relationships from different points in my life,” says Rao.
Training in both Hindustani and Carnatic music laid the foundation for a style informed by a wide range of contemporary influences. Inspired by artistes such as Kendrick Lamar, Lauryn Hill and Michael Jackson, she wanted each track to stand on its own while contributing to a wider narrative. “Most of these songs began as questions I didn’t have answers to yet,” she reveals, adding that writing them persuaded her to sit with those feelings long enough to actually understand them and eventually let them go.
After moving to Bengaluru, she began pursuing music more seriously under the guidance of mentor Richard Andrew Dudley. “Richard sir has been my mentor for half a decade, and I couldn’t be more grateful for his guidance. As an experienced producer and Grammy member, he brought a level of expertise to these songs that I learned a tremendous amount from,” she beams.
The process also challenged some of her assumptions about collaboration and creativity and taught her to compromise. “I learned that accepting help from people who genuinely believed in the project was not the same as giving up creative control,” she says. The experience highlighted the balance between artistic conviction and openness to new ideas.
Talking about the city playing an important role, too, she shares, “Bengaluru’s independent music scene is supportive and tight-knit. I think the welcoming ecosystem is what made me comfortable enough to express myself through music.”
As streaming platforms, social media and AI tools continue to redefine the music industry, independent artistes are navigating an increasingly crowded landscape. Visibility remains a challenge, but Rao believes that authenticity still resonates. With Spiral Theory, she hopes to create that connection through stories of honesty and self-reflection. “If a listener walks away feeling a little less alone or a little more at peace, then I think the EP has done exactly what it was meant to do,” she says.