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The thing that stands out about Mrunal Shankar is that she just keeps going . She started singing in bars to find her sound , stumbled into rap , sent an email that got her signed to Kalamkaar and keeps moving from melody to rap so that she knows exactly where her strengths are .
Carrying a unique , slow-grain , gravel-bite kind of voice , Mrunal is making quiet waves despite still trying to find her footing . Her music still floats between hit or miss , but her truthfulness is undeniable . She inhabits a space somewhere between regality and streethardened hustler - memorable , eyebrowraising , fascinating .
The Score Magazine caught up with Mrunal Shankar to dive deeper into where she came from , how she sharpens herself for a dog-eatdog world and what “ made it ” means for her .
Take us through your songwriting process . Where do you get your ideas from ?
Since I ’ ve been a singer for most of my career , it ’ s the melody that comes to me first . Usually , I start off with finding the perfect beat online . Then I try to record a hook & a rough flow which comes to mind in the very first instance . And then I get down to the lyrics .
I end up buying that beat or I create a whole new vibe with my producer . Ideas can strike at any moment , so we keep our digital notepad handy , and develop it later according to our mood and mindset .
How did you become part of Kalamkaar ?
What is your origin story ?
I started off as a singer with a guitar in my hands , playing covers in pubs and bars , only to figure out what I really wanted and what I did not . Soon after that I became a lead singer in a rock band , experienced one of the best on-stage moments of my life , gained immense confidence , and grew as a live performer .
Like all good things , those magical days ended soon , and being who I am , I decided to make my own music . That ’ s where I gave a stage name to myself and started off with my first song , which happened to be a rap .
In no time I found my home in hip-hop . I have been rapping since 2019 to be honest , but I have been a self-taught singer-performer for about 9-10 years now .
When did you realize that your unique voice actually gave you an edge in hip-hop ?
One of my friends had encouraged me to try hip-hop when I was trying to find myself in my singing days . After a few years when I eventually stepped into the genre , I realized that all singers can “ sing / perform ” rap , but all rappers cannot “ sing ”. I knew I had an edge sonically .
As any aspiring artist would have , I had mailed the CEO Mr . Ankit Khanna . I did it in one of the vulnerable moments in my life , without any expectations of receiving a response and guess what , it happened . Thanks to an unknown admirer from Instagram who pushed me to send the mail in the first place . Forever grateful to him and AK , for having all the faith in me .
Tell us a bit about your recently released music .
Within March & April this year I was able to pull off 4 releases strategically . All serving different topics , ideas and moods . The latest one called “ Ride with me ” is a melodic rap track that balances RnB and Hip-Hop . The lyrics are a little explicit , without being obvious . That ’ s how we do it .
My heavy voice and modulating techniques help me fit into the genre perfectly and help me be one of the most versatile artists in the industry . I am still trying to find myself and my audience here , trying to be a better lyricist , and learning by trying things out . That ’ s a neverending journey .
The Score Magazine highonscore . com
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