It’s my biggest dream to see our folk music on the big stage: Dhee

Singing sensation Dhee opens up about her evolving artistic journey, her recent Tamil indie single Vari Vari , collaborating with Ed Sheeran, handling social media trolling, and more...‘NOW, THE INDIE INDUSTRY IS ALMOST MAINSTREAM’Talking about the Tamil indie music scene, Dhee shares, “Five years ago, when we put out Enjoy Enjaami , the indie industry was small. Now, it’s almost mainstream. An example would be Sai Abhyankkar, whose songs are so popular that we often forget they are non-film songs. That’s a good sign.”Dhee is optimistic about Indian music finding a larger audience. “Now is the time for us to put our music out. People are ready to listen to different music. It’s my biggest dream to see our folk music on the big stage. I think it’ll happen.”‘A big part of Vari Vari is about me’Vari Vari marks Dhee’s first indie Tamil single since Enjoy Enjaami (2021). “It’s almost like a soup song. It’s about losing a version of yourself and then reconnecting with your inner child. A big part of Vari Vari is about me,” she says, adding, “People are used to hearing me sing in Tamil, so they want me to make more and more Tamil songs, which I understand. I feel that’s cute.”‘WORKING WITH ED SHEERAN WAS SURREAL’’A surreal moment in her career, she says, was collaborating with singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran on the remix of Don’t Look Down . “That was amazing and crazy. The whole experience was so surreal that I don’t remember most of it. It didn’t feel like I was working with the biggest pop star in the world. It was a lovely and calm experience.”‘MUSIC VIDEOS ARE ONLY NECESSARY IF THEY ADD TO THE SONG’S STORY’About music videos and their role in today’s music landscape, she says, “From an artistic point of view, I think music videos are only necessary if they make the song better and add to the song’s story. But in terms of marketability, I think it’s important. Not all songs need a music video. But I guess we are all very visual and love seeing videos.”‘I loved Chinmayi’s version of Muththa Mazhai’Last year, social media was divided over whether Chinmayi Sripada or Dhee delivered the better version of Muththa Mazhai (song composed by AR Rahman from Mani Ratnam’s Thug Life ). However, Dhee sees the debate in a different light. The singer shares, “I was honestly honoured to even be part of that conversation. She (Chinmayi) is amazing. I love her and I loved her version. The way I saw it was like, ‘She’s lovely, and I’m just grateful to be a part of that convo.’”‘I’VE BEEN A BIG KENDRICK LAMAR FAN SINCE I WAS 13’Among the artistes she wants to collaborate with are Kendrick Lamar and Anthony Daasan. “I’ve been a really big Kendrick Lamar fan since I was 13. Among Tamil artistes, I’m a big fan of Anthony Daasan. I’ve seen him perform for a very long time, and he’s one of the best performers I’ve seen. I would love to work with him on something indie. There are also so many talented international and Tamil artistes that I’d love to work with.”‘AFTER MY SONG IS OUT, IT’S NO LONGER MINE’As to whether she cares for her songs topping the charts, Dhee says, “I’m the happiest in the first hour after my song comes out. I feel so free that it’s out there. After that, it’s no longermine; it becomes people’s song. I disconnect myself. So, the numbers that the song does are a bonus. I don’t actively think about it. I feel my job is to make music that’s honest and true to who I am and entertain people through it. I try not to hold onto a song.”