Indie artiste Haniya Nafisa on her album, music production and singing in the Kannur dialect
Despite making her indie debut two years ago, Kochi-based artiste Haniya Nafisa says she has only recently found the confidence to call herself “a singer
Despite making her indie debut two years ago, Kochi-based artiste Haniya Nafisa says she has only recently found the confidence to call herself “a singer, songwriter, producer and composer”. After releasing over 15 independent tracks in two years, the 23-year-old has reached a new milestone with her debut album, Vaakkath. The nine-track album, she says, was not planned. “Several songs that were meant to be singles with different artistes gradually found their place in this collection. I had also created a few while learning music production. Initially, I thought I’d make an EP if I could find a common thread between them, but the songs and collaborators kept growing,” she says over a call from Kochi. Haniya, who first gained popularity during the pandemic through her cover songs, says the response has surprised her. “I wasn’t planning an album with this kind of sound. It’s quite different from what I’ve done before, and I think that’s why people are responding to it.” Released by Devil Inside Records, Vaakkath features collaborations with MHR, Raunaq, Zail, Amani Kl10 and Wraith V.
The indie-pop album leans heavily on electronic production, while its lyrics, written by Haniya, draw from the Kannur dialect, reflecting her roots. “Vaakkath means ‘on my word’ in the Kannur dialect,” she explains. “It can also be split into vaaku (word) and kath (letter).” Writing in her native dialect, she says, was an act of authenticity. “I’d explored a similar diction in ‘Thedal’, from MHR’s album Valiyaparamb. But ‘Illathath’ was the first independent song I wrote in the Kannur dialect.” Growing up, however, she felt compelled to suppress it. “I believed it wasn’t professional to speak in my dialect. I changed the way I spoke so people would understand me better and I wouldn’t get bullied in school. Now,” she laughs, “I unconsciously pick up the dialect of whoever I’m talking to.” Since her indie debut with ‘Mulchedi’ in 2024 — a melancholic song written during a difficult phase in her life — Haniya has consciously expanded her musical vocabulary. “The success of ‘Mulchedi’ made me realise that whatever I released would be watched and judged.
So I thought I might as well make the music I truly enjoy. That gave me the confidence to experiment with new sounds and collaborators.” Her catalogue now ranges from the English single ‘When Life Gives You Lemons’ to ‘Maarum/Usad’, a collaboration with Filipino band Munimuni. Haniya made her playback debut in 2021 with ‘Zindagi’ from the Telugu film Most Eligible Bachelor, composed by Gopi Sundar. More recently, she sang ‘Kisses in the Clouds’ for Cannes winner All We Imagine as Light, composed by Topshe. For a long time, she assumed she would continue writing deeply personal, melancholic songs like ‘Mulchedi’. “I used to write only when I felt something intensely. But once I decided to pursue independent music seriously, I realised I couldn’t wait for inspiration every time. I had to become more intentional. My songs can still be personal, but they don’t always have to come directly from my own experiences.” That shift led her to take on an online challenge in December, writing 10 songs in 10 days.
The BriefWire