Fashion was how I explored identity. Music became how I told the truth,” says Malvika Sheth, an emerging singer-songwriter with an Instagram following of 156K. The Los Angeles-based creator is set to release her debut album containing 10 tracks.
Sheth built a career in the digital space, crafting a distinct identity through fashion, content creation and visual storytelling. But behind the fancy online presence was an artist searching for an authentic form of expression. It led her to music—a medium she describes not as a career pivot, but as a return to her true self.
At college she launched her brand Style by Malvika recreating Indian attire with a cosmopolitan touch but something deep was brewing--music. She started taking classes and this year she released her first album as an independent artist—Online/IRL. Songs like ‘Iconic’ and ‘Spiralling’ made her an interesting sensation not just for fashion but a voice worth listening to.
“I realised I wanted to pursue music when my creativity was getting outweighed by strategy,” Sheth says. Having spent years navigating algorithms, engagement metrics and the pressures of online performance, she found herself yearning for a space where emotional honesty could take precedence over optimisation. “The turning point came while working through The Artist’s Way, a book recommended by a close artist friend,” she says.
Communicating with music
Her craft is a blend of cinematic synth-pop with groove-driven R&B, drawing inspiration from artists and albums that prioritises atmosphere and emotion. Bollywood and Hollywood film soundtracks have also shaped her artistic sensibilities.
Rather than focusing on genre, Sheth says, “rhythm, emotional pacing and mood are central to my creative process”. Her training in Bharatanatyam has also left an imprint, influencing the way she approaches storytelling, movement and expression. Hence, her music feels both contemporary and deeply personal. Known for styling her outfits with vibrance, Malvika loves colours. Her instagram feed feels personal.
A self-portrait
Storytelling sits at the heart of her songwriting. Most of her lyrics begin in journals, with thoughts, fears and observations from her daily writing practice. Her upcoming project, she says, is the probably the “closest thing” to a psychological self-portrait she’s ever made, she says. The record explores themes of intensity, desire, vulnerability and self-discovery, presenting listeners with what she calls “a diary disguised as a pop record”.
The connection between music and fashion remains central to her artistic identity. Sheth views both mediums as part of a larger creative ecosystem, often visualising a song’s aesthetic world before it is even completed. Mood boards, colour palettes, film references and styling concepts all become part of the songwriting process, helping shape the emotional atmosphere she hopes to create.
Her involvement extends far beyond the recording studio. From album artwork and photography to styling and visual concepts, Sheth remains hands-on. She even edits many of her own photographs, carefully adding textures, grain and colour treatments to align with the stories she wants to tell.
As an independent artist, Sheth acknowledges the challenges of building a music career without the support of a major label. She knows the value in maintaining a close-knit creative team while remaining open to new collaborations. The journey, she says, requires constant faith in one’s vision, especially in an industry often dominated by numbers and metrics.
That perspective also informs her relationship with social media. Once central to her professional life, social platforms have now become tools for world-building rather than self-disclosure. “I’d rather post less and create something meaningful than constantly feed an algorithm,” she says.
With a playful and sensual new single on the horizon, Sheth is preparing to unveil a new chapter of her artistic journey. Sheth’s ambitions extend beyond charts and streaming numbers. Her goal is simple—to create emotional worlds that “listeners can return to again and again”. Through music, visuals and storytelling, she hopes to make people feel seen—and perhaps a little less alone in their contradictions.
