When asked to describe her work, singer-songwriter Maalavika Manoj aka Mali, calls it the lovechild of iconic bands Fleetwood Mac and Radiohead. Based on her lyrical pop rock sound and the “introspective, soulful and nostalgic” vibe of her music, this self-assessment certainly rings true. Starting with the release of her first EP Rush in 2017, Mali has made a name for herself in the indie music scene for combining retro energy with modern musical sensibilities. This could be the reason behind her long line of achievements—opening for Ed Sheeran in Bengaluru as part of his recent ‘The Mathematics Tour’; performing at prominent stages like SXSW Sydney, Lollapalooza India and Music Matters in Singapore; and collaborating with Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman, and Amit Trivedi, Indus Creed, Raghav Meattle and others.
Her latest track is the dark and gritty single, Dr. Dust. In quite a departure from her usual sunny offerings, Dr. Dust has a grim vibe—both in its earthy tonality and the sinister narrative which focuses on cults and gangs that weaponise hope. “I was so intrigued by this world where people, especially the younger generation, fall prey to cults,” says Mali. The underlying message also questions the tortuous nature of controlling and authoritative relationships in general. The character of Dr. Dust, which Mali herself embodies in the video released along with the song, represents all forms of control and authority.
Currently garnering praise, the track faced its fair share of challenges before seeing the light of day. Mali shares, “It took a long time to produce Dr. Dust because producer Rohan Rajadhyaksha and I wanted to get the sound right. We made around four different versions of the song before arriving at this one. I think patience is key while working on creative projects because timelines aren’t well defined and you can lose vision and momentum the more you work on it. It helped that we collaborated with musician friends like Mallika Barot on backing vocals, Nathan Thomas on bass and Nicky Vasudevan on drums and percussion.”
“Music was my calling from an early age,” says the singer. “I started singing as a kid and writing songs as a teenager. When I graduated from college, I couldn’t imagine anything else I would like to spend my days on.” This firm belief has resulted in the release of two EPs, several singles and a full-length album titled Caution to the Wind. With a hot new track and recent global recognition with the MTV European Music Award for Best Indian Act in 2024, Mali’s career trajectory seems firmly on the rise. Yet, she isn’t one to be complacent. “What ultimately matters in the music industry are the songs and the way people keep coming back for them. An award doesn’t guarantee success in the long run.”