Raised in India’s cultural capital Kolkata, Aruna’s musical roots rise from a passion for championing diversity, creating a space that gives people representation. Aruna pushes the boundaries of what it means to be a woman of colour in pop, an attitude that has led to widespread acclaim and success in performances alongside X-Factor U.K. finalist Kevin Davy White and Jools Holland.
Aruna’s latest track is ‘thoughts & therapy’ providing a monster pop-punk track that transports the listener right into the break-up feels, Aruna’s anthemic lyrics and gritty energy are the perfect introduction for getting over it and moving on. Though her lyrics speak to her struggles in loving herself again, a defiance in her tone brings a radiance to the other side.
There’s an internal battle, a grappling with who’s at fault, and what to do next that hits the nail on the head for the emotional whirlwind of pushing forward. The raw chug of electric guitars, the crashing cymbals in the drums and the occasional telephone-processed interjections make for something oozing of the early 2000s. Still, Aruna’s personal spin is enough to bring it crashing into a new era.
“thoughts & therapy is a coming-of-age tune which represents a time at which I was trying to figure out how to navigate the world on my own again after a break-up,” Aruna shares. “At nearly 26, I’m still not sure what it means to be an adult – this is the chaos I hoped to encapsulate by juxtaposing tearful and heart-wrenching moments from my real life alongside the more sarcastic and bratty tongue-in-cheek lyrics. The older I grow, the more I realise that all of us are simply works in progress, and within the never-ending process of realising our true selves, we can all come across as ‘the villain’ sometimes. While in those moments, it’s okay to feel like the victim for a bit, it’s all about finding your own redemption-arc by taking accountability for your own happiness.”
