‘Want to keep writing earnest love songs’

It has been just a day since Dhee’s new song Vari Vari has been released and it has already taken the internet by storm. Refreshing music with enchanting visuals have made the song a chartbuster. From being an independent artiste in Enjoy Enjaami to being a non-film artiste, Dhee’s graph has steadily grown with the incredible work she has done. “Which made me push my boundaries for Vari Vari yet again,” she begins. “If you liked Vari Vari, it is about finding our inner child. There are things that we have lost along the way. So I wanted to build a concept around it and that’s how Vari Vari was born,” explains the singer.

The song has been produced by her dad Santhosh Narayanan and has lyrics by Vivek. “I have known Vivek anna since I was 16. We mainly discussed the emotions that I wanted to say in the song. He took the lead in bringing out the perfect emotional grounding that Vari Vari required. Meanwhile, the lines were also such that I could dance to them and enjoy performing in front of the camera,” Dhee states.

Be it Enjoy Enjaami or I Wear My Roots Like a Medal and Ancient Seed, Dhee’s songs are rooted as well as they have an underlying message in them. Vari Vari could be no different. “That wasn’t something we wanted to do consciously in this song. I wanted to be honest in whatever I express. There is an underlying message of finding your inner child, which is the core of the song too. But I want to write more earnest love songs because I miss hearing them. Though Vari Vari is fun there is a bit of melancholia to it,” remarks the musician.

Working with her dad Santhosh Narayanan and getting to hear his feedback is something Dhee always looks forward to. “Appa worked on it and he loves this song. It was me who was overthinking but appa calmly said ‘trust me it will do great’. Overall, it’s a great song for us,” she smiles. Over the years, Dhee has collaborated with a variety of artistes—from folk to international musicians. “I have learnt so much from them and it makes me want to be a better artistes every single time. Sometimes it’s just the musicality or sometimes it is their work ethics or a combination of both. It is a blessing and a privilege and I feel lucky,” she says.

Success isn’t a bed of roses and Dhee has had her own share of criticisms and has faced brickbats. “When I look back, I have learnt a lot of them. Also, I have wondered why people have been mean to me. At the end of the day, I know who I am and they don’t affect me. For now I am focused on my albums and I am looking forward to touring and performing again,” she concludes.