If you haven’t already immersed yourself in Heaven Knows, the new single from Sydney-based musician The Violet Whispers, stop what you’re doing and go listen to it now. The track is a dynamic slice of music that refuses to be categorised by any one genre. We’ve had the track spinning on repeat ever since we first laid ears on it.
So fresh off the track’s release, we caught up with the man behind it, Nikhil Murthy, to chat all about it.
With an epic new single under his belt, we chat to The Violet Whispers about his new single, life in iso, and a whole lot more.
HAPPY: Hey there Nikhil, a massive congratulations on the new single Heaven Knows! Can you run us through this track?
NIKHIL: Thanks so much. I’m so proud to be releasing Heaven Knows as my debut single! I think it’s a great representation of what I want to keep doing in my artistic output. It’s soulful, entertaining, experimental, genre-mixing and attempts to push boundaries. Just need to give a big shout to the team at The Brain Recording Studios who played a crucial role in making the single.
HAPPY: Were there any particular artists you were listening to that inspired the sound of Heaven Knows?
NIKHIL: In a broad sense, it’s definitely my version of a bombastic Bruce Springsteen-like rock anthem except that I merge it with an array of other influences. These would be Primal Scream, Four Tet, Lone, The Cure, Isis, Stax Records, Drum n Bass by Hospital Records just to name a few.
HAPPY: What does the moniker The Violet Whispers represent to you? Was there a reason to steer away from your own name?
NIKHIL: There’s no elaborate backstory to the creation of the name. I always wanted a name that was mysterious and ambiguous so that it wasn’t easy for people to come to conclusions about the genre and sound I belong to. Having a band name takes the primary focus away from me and onto the music itself. I am treading that fine line between being an elusive artist like Burial and an in the spotlight person like Tarantino.
HAPPY: What does a normal day of songwriting look like to you, has it changed at all in isolation?
NIKHIL: Iso or no Iso, it’s always been unorthodox how I write music. Music will just pop into my brain as I’m going about the day (listening to music, watching films, reading, chatting to mates etc). And if it’s cool enough, it just permeates in my brain which is also where I also finesse, tweak, play with it till it’s done. So it sort of can be done anywhere and anytime which I look at as I really lucky and fun process for me.
HAPPY: What inspires you lyrically, does that part come naturally?
NIKHIL: It’s extremely important for me to stay engaged with the world. The people you meet, things you listen/watch/read etc do influence my lyrical content. I collect thoughts, quotes, musings and even jokes in notepad. Once I’m finished recording the music itself for a song I decide on a topic/ theme & consult my notepad. Then it’s just about filling that blank page on your laptop screen. So one bit inspiration, and one bit just actual work.
HAPPY: Your music has been defined as “genre-defying”, where do you think that stems from?
NIKHIL: There’s just so much music, film, art, comedy that I enjoy and treasure. The fun and danger of songwriting is to see if these disparate influences can work harmoniously together. Definitely stems from being a bored teenager & devouring everything without thinking that one genre has more credibility than the other. To me, The Velvet Underground, Melt Banana & DJ Shadow are as important as Aaliyah, Hed Kandi (House Label) and Everything But The Girl.
HAPPY: If you could watch someone else produce, who would it be?
NIKHIL: I would be a “fly on the wall” in a recording session with the following: Bjork, Tom Waits, Yo La Tengo because they’re magnificent artists who just keep getting better and better. Their ideas are so unique and it would be incredible to see how they execute their vision.
HAPPY: What’s the ultimate isolation playlist you’ve been repeating?
NIKHIL: I’ll just tell you what I’m listening to. The Isol-Aid Festival playlists (so much great Aussie music), The band Clews’ (who are amazing) playlist titled 77.7 CLEWS FM and the new albums by Yves Tumor and Fiona Apple.
HAPPY: What’s next for The Violet Whispers?
NIKHIL: I am going to be releasing two more singles this year. The first being ROADS IN PARIS, which is another energetic rocking tune and FLOATING, which is quite gentle and chill. It could even soundtrack a scene in a Romantic Comedy! Whilst I am in ISO, I’ve finished a demo new song called RED FLOWERS and am starting the demo for another song called BLUE SKIES FOR AN IDEALIST. Then once everything is open I can get these recorded!
HAPPY: And, what’s the first thing you’ll do post-iso?
NIKHIL: Visit family and friends to share a beer, meal, gig, dance, movie, and laugh with all of them… IN PERSON.
Heaven Knows is out now. Listen above.
