Saleka for French Fries S/S 2021 THE HUMAN DNA issue

Interview Claudia Brizzi / claude______

Photography Shervin Lainez / shervinfoto

Saleka tells the strength and the weakness that have made her a strong and fragile girl at the same time. Daughter of the well-known director and screenwriter M. Night Shyamalan she was surrounded by classical music since birth, but raised with Jazz, Hip-Hop and R&B influences. “Our family is constantly talking about artistry and storytelling. My sisters and I grew up on movie sets witnessing the behind the scenes of everything- all the intricacies and collaborations, the vulnerability and moments of doubt.”     

You were lucky enough to grow up in close contact with all major art forms, when and how did you know you would choose music?

I started classical piano lessons when I was 4, so music was sort of always a part of my life. My piano teacher really believed in my potential and motivated me to take music seriously from the start, so it already felt like a significant passion for me even at 6 or 7 years old. I definitely enjoyed being around and absorbing all types of art, and that exposure influenced me greatly, but I think music always just felt the most compelling to me. I would never get bored of it. My father is a filmmaker and my favorite part of observing the movie making process was watching the score come together, hearing the motifs for each character and witnessing how powerfully music could bring out certain emotions from the picture. 

Has being the daughter of a famous director, actor and screenwriter contributed much on your artistic way of expressing yourself?

Our family is constantly talking about artistry and storytelling. My sisters and I grew up on movie sets witnessing the behind the scenes of everything- all the intricacies and collaborations, the vulnerability and moments of doubt. It gave us a unique understanding of what it means to choose art and entertainment as a career, and how essential it is to have intention, authenticity and a strong value system behind everything you do. I think for both my sister Ishana and I, our dad writing his own material inspired us to do the same. Besides passing down a love and reverence of language, there is a sort of immigrant mentality that accompanies that as well. It was always engrained in my sisters and I that we should be able to work hard and further our crafts even without any outside support or opportunity, because that is never a guarantee. In that way, writing becomes our agency. All we need are our minds, a pen and paper to start creating, and keep moving forward.

Your younger sister Ishana directed the video for your latest single "Graffiti": what is your relationship with her and why do you think she is the right person to direct your music videos?

My sister and I are super close, basically best friends. She is very musical herself, she studied piano and ballet when she was younger, and so she had always expressed interest in combining film and music and particularly directing music videos. She also witnessed me working on the album and knows all my songs really well. She gravitated towards certain tracks that she could connect to and see visuals for and everything just flowed from there. We also have similar influences and tastes, so it was easy to collaborate. I know I’m biased but I think she’s a genius, not only in her artistic skill but also in the way she manages a set and communicates with the people around her. Shooting the music videos took me completely out of my comfort zone so I was extremely nervous but she knew exactly how to help me get out of my head and be present.

How important is the support of your family? And your origins?

Extremely important. I wouldn’t be making music, or be who I am without the support of my family and being raised with Indian culture. And it’s been so amazing to have my family’s support in the form of collaboration now, to be able to inspire each other and motivate each other through art. It especially helps in moments of weakness or struggle, having a supportive family unit to return to and get advice from makes it less scary. I feel grateful every day for that. 

Let's talk about the second season of the Servant series, directed by M Night, your father. You and your sister contributed to the making of the second season, most notably you wrote and performed a song for the series, written during quarantine. What were you inspired by

My dad’s prompt was to write a love song that Leanne’s character would relate to and find strength from. This was a really exciting prompt for me because there are a lot of aspects of Leanne’s character that I can relate to. Even though she is this mysterious entity, she is also a young woman who is just starting to come into her own, discover herself and pursue her desires. She is breaking out of her suppression, and searching for connection and belonging. These are such universal feelings of womanhood, and emotions I have experienced deeply. I also wanted the lyrics to tie Leanne’s pain to Dorothy’s because I feel there is a powerful parallel in their similarly intense longing for lost love and effort to fill that void. 

Speaking of quarantine, how did you spend that very difficult time for everyone?

With my family! My grandparents live down the street so we all basically quarantined together and saw each other every day, ate a lot of Indian food and talked through our fears. I also spent a bunch of time writing music alone in my room. I feel very lucky we were all able to stay safe and healthy through this year. 

Starting out as a classical pianist, what led you to produce R&B music with jazz and hip-hop influences?

Even though I studied classical piano growing up, outside of my lessons I was surrounded mostly by R&B, Hip-Hop and Jazz music. My parents would play Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, Lauryn Hill, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Kanye West, Norah Jones, Frank Sinatra etc… in the car on the way to school every day and around the house. These were the artists that I would sing along with and memorize their lyrics. Their voices defined each phase of my life. So, while the classical music is a big influence and the basis of my training, Jazz, Hip-Hop and R&B are the sonic worlds that I have always gravitated towards and felt at home in.

What made you realize that the conservatory path wasn't right for you and that your desire was to become a singer?

I think my desire to compose and write was the first real step I took away from the conservatory path. There was a point at which I started developing my own tastes and relationships with the chords and notes I was playing. It started by me simply finding enticing elements of the classical pieces I was learning and riffing off of them and making new melodies over them. There was something so freeing and emotional about that creativity that I couldn’t let go of. It took me a while to transfer that passion into structured songwriting but once I discovered this outlet that allowed me to combine all my passions- piano, singing, composing, poetry, I was hooked. 

Of your three singles Clarity, Mr. Incredible, and Graffiti, which one represents you the most?

All of my songs are very personal and part of me, but if I had to choose, I would probably say Graffiti, because that one is entirely me- piano, vocals, lyrics, and it was recorded in only a few takes so it feels almost live. The lyrics talk about heartbreak, trust issues, and the words that have defined my self-image. I think the music video is also the most revealing and intimate of the three as well.

Visual art is emphasized in the Graffiti video through the words that appear on your body. What does graffiti art represent for you?

I think graffiti as an art form is so fascinating and powerful, an incredible tool to claim space and make statements in a very permanent and visceral way. I wanted use graffiti as metaphor in this song to convey that the words we say to each other, although we cannot see them, are just as impactful, bold, and lasting as if they were graffiti spray painted on concrete. In the music video we show words appearing as “graffiti” on my skin, and all the words and phrases we used were actually things people have said to me. We wanted this visual to emphasize the power of language, and represent how the words and energy we take in stays with us, in our minds and bodies, and effects how we see ourselves. 

The power of language: do you think that today music can be the best form of communication?

I think music is an amazing form of communication. Humans are inherently musical beings, even our bodies operate through rhythm. There is a book called “The World in Six Songs” which talks about the functions of music through human evolution and culture. The author Daniel J. Levitin describes the ideal communication medium as “one in which honesty can be readily detectable” and explains why music is one of these. He refers to music as an “honest signal… a window into the true emotional and motivational state of the communicator”. I love that analysis. As a songwriter, I have turned to music as a way to communicate things I feel unable to express in any other way. I think all art can do that but for me music is that ideal form. Throughout history music has brought communities together, defined spiritual rituals and cultural moments, conveyed the stories of the disenfranchised and marginalized, and played pivotal roles in political and social movements. I think the reason music is so powerful in these ways is because it is an “honest signal.” On a more personal level, I have never felt more connected and understood than when I am listening to a song that expresses what I am feeling, or evokes things in me that I had suppressed. That connection grounds me in the universality and beauty of the emotions, and I feel so much more present and less alone. 

The most beautiful songs of all time talk about love and especially about the end of a relationship, just like in your last single. What do you think you have learned from this breakup? Did expressing it through a song help you to overcome it?

Writing songs is basically what I do instead of writing in a diary, it is my way of processing life. So yes, definitely writing and singing this song helped me to get through that breakup. I’ve learned a lot about communication, empathy and mental health through my relationships and heart breaks. I’ve started to learn how to analyze my trauma and recognize when I am acting out of fear and defensiveness instead of love and compassion. I’ve learned what it means for someone to really love you as a person and not just the idea of you. I’ve learned how important self-love is.

Love is at the center of your art in all its forms, today how are you living this feeling?

I think love in all its forms is the most beautiful thing in the world, and after experiencing the extreme weight of uncertainty during this pandemic I am especially grateful to be able to spend so much of my time working on things I am passionate about and collaborating with people I love! My family and friends are incredible and always helps me to recenter and feel grateful. I have a greater appreciation and love for them every day. 

Your new album Séance is about to be released, can you reveal anything in particular? What have you tried to convey to your audience?

The album is about love, heartbreak, being a woman in a patriarchal society, trying to connect back with my culture and roots, witnessing the horror of racism in my country, reconciling self-doubt and self-love. It is my honest journey navigating these experiences and trying to find myself over the past few years.

In an interview you pointed out how difficult it is still today for a South Asian woman of color to direct numerous music videos. How can you break down the barriers of sexism and racism in this area of work?

There is definitely a huge lack of South Asian female representation in all entertainment fields, especially in the U.S. Breaking down those barriers is a huge societal task that I can see is starting to happen, and I hope to contribute to that in my own small way by just being a South Asian woman who expresses her uncensored perspective and stories through music and art. I also hope to work with many people of color, and especially women of color in making my music and music videos. It has been such an amazing experience already making my first three music videos with a South Asian female director (my sister Ishana) and choreographer, Saleena Khamamkar. The system is not made to support our voices, so we have to support each other. 

In recent times we often talk about female insecurity, linked to the stereotypes proposed daily by social networks and the world of entertainment. Now you represent a voice within this world and above all an idol for many girls, do you think you can convey self-confidence through your art?

Wow thank you for saying that I could be an idol to girls! It is hard to imagine that! At times, yes, I do want to convey self-confidence but mostly I aim to always be honest about where I am mentally, and to show not only the highs but also the lows. I hope to empower people in that way, so maybe other girls can feel less alone in their struggles and insecurities, and know that having those hardships doesn’t diminish your worth or capability. 

Fashion can also be defined as an art form. On your Instagram profile you have dedicated a section to the outfits you wear every day. What does fashion represent to you and what do you try to express through your looks?

Fashion is sort of a new and developing passion of mine, I aspire to incorporate fashion as another dimension of self-expression. I have found a lot of liberation in experimenting with my femininity and masculinity through clothing and being able to curate my own multi-faceted definition of womanhood. Fashion makes each day, each new performance and new project feel like an opportunity to redefine myself and be whoever I want to be. 

You've been described as an R&B talent to watch out for in 2021, after your three hit singles and an upcoming album, what does the future hold for you?

I have been working on a few more exciting family collaborations and I’m already a few tracks into Album 2! I also can’t wait to start performing again, hopefully this year when everything is safe. I have missed traveling, playing with my band and connecting with an in person audience so much. I haven’t gotten the chance to do that since I’ve started releasing music so it will be fun to experiment with these singles in all different live arrangements and venues!