Singer Dhee on her latest single ‘Vari Vari’ and Bollywood music: ‘Bollywood music is larger than life, Diljit Dosanjh is…’

Australian–Tamil singer-songwriter Dhee returns with a striking new bold single, ‘Vari Vari’. The track follows a series of high-profile collaborations, including ‘Ancient Seed’ with Wondagurl and Tiwa Savage, as well as her feature on Ed Sheeran’s ‘Don’t Look Down.’ Earlier this year, Dhee also signed with Visva Records US, the label founded by Grammy-nominated songwriter Savan Kotecha in partnership with Republic Records.

In an EXCLUSIVE interview with Firstpost’s Lachmi Deb Roy, Dhee mentions that though his knowledge on Bollywood music is limited, she believes that Bollywood music has always felt larger than life, very vibrant, emotional and celebratory. She is hugely inspired by Santhosh Narayanan, Anthony Daasan and Diljit Dosanjh**.**

 _Edited excerpts from the interview:
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Tell us about Vari Vari?

Vari Vari comes from the Tamil word Vari, which essentially means ‘come’. It’s a very endearing, respectful and slightly cheeky way of asking someone to come closer or join you. For me, the song can mean many things. It could be about coming back to yourself, a message to someone you love, or even a conversation between your past and present self. I think that duality is what makes the phrase and the song so special to me.

Tell us about your journey in the music industry?

I started really young. My first song in film happened when I was around 14 or 15, so it’s been quite a long journey already. I’ve always loved song writing, but when I entered playback singing, there was a phase where I wasn’t really releasing my own music or writing as much publicly. Looking back, I think I was just taking time to learn, grow and practice. During COVID, I got back into song writing seriously, and that eventually became the beginning of my album. I started working on songs that naturally evolved into a larger body of work, especially songs in Tamil. Now, five years after Enjoy Enjaami, I am releasing another Tamil track and preparing to put out more music and eventually the album, which is something I am really excited about.

How is the music landscape different in Australia as compared to Chennai?

It’s extremely different. Chennai has a much larger and more active music ecosystem. In Australia, there are so many talented people, but the industry itself is comparatively smaller and more challenging to sustain yourself in. A lot of musicians have to work multiple jobs alongside music just to make it viable. I think if I had stayed in Australia and tried pursuing music full time, it would have been much harder for me personally.

Chennai, on the other hand, exposed me to so many incredible musicians and creative influences. There’s inspiration everywhere. You step out and there’s always something to absorb, learn from or be moved by. At the same time, I think the independent scene in Australia is growing, and every artist who goes out, learns and comes back contributes to making that ecosystem bigger and stronger.

What is the creative thought process that goes behind your performance, including the fashion aspect of it?

I love fashion, so for me it naturally goes hand in hand with music. Whenever I am writing or conceptualising a song, I’m already thinking visually. Fashion becomes a huge part of storytelling because it allows you to step into a character, create a mood and express emotions beyond the music itself. Even with live performances, visuals and styling are such an important part of the experience. I love building worlds around songs, so there are always a lot of fun conversations and ideas that go into creating performances, visuals and fashion moments together.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I’d love to do much bigger shows, hopefully even stadium shows someday. One of my biggest dreams has always been to release albums, so I definitely hope my album is out by then, maybe even another one after that. I’d also love to direct more of my own videos and eventually direct for other artists too. More than anything, I just want to keep performing because that’s something I genuinely love. I haven’t done many shows in the last few months, so I’m really excited to get back on stage again.

Any Indian artists that you are influenced by?

So many. I am hugely inspired by Santhosh Narayanan. I also really admire Pradeep Kumar, who is an incredible singer and songwriter. I love Ganavya, who I think is such a unique vocalist and artist. Anthony Daasan is another artist I really admire because he brings so much energy and versatility to everything he does. And of course, Diljit Dosanjh. I think what he’s doing globally is incredible. There are honestly so many artists I could keep naming.

What do you have to say about Bollywood music and songs?
My Bollywood music knowledge is honestly a little outdated right now, but I’ve always associated Bollywood music with joy and celebration. Whenever I think of Bollywood songs, I think of weddings, parties and some of the most fun memories growing up.

To me, Bollywood music has always felt larger than life, very vibrant, emotional and celebratory. I do listen to a lot of Punjabi music, which I love, but most of my Bollywood nostalgia comes from the early 2000s era. I definitely need to catch up on more current music, but I will always associate Bollywood songs with happiness and a really great time.