By Davina Richards
Losing your passion for music must be crushing for any performer, but for Kiwi artist Aaradhna it really hit hard when she tried to break into America and almost gave up on music entirely. Now, she stands with a smile on her face and a glint in her eye as she moves forward to realise her dream.
Signed to Frequency Media Group and Dawn Raid Entertainment, Aaradhna’s catchy single ‘Wake Up’ was exactly that; a wake up call to herself in an attempt to prompt herself to get up, get out and get on with life. Much to her surprise the song went platinum and peaked at number one in New Zealand and topped the US R&B/Soul iTunes chart.
In February she signed a multi-album deal with US music label Republic Records, following in the same footsteps such as famous artists Amy Winehouse, Florence + The Machine, Gotye and Nicki Manaj, who have signed to the same label.
With an international tour up her sleeve Aaradhna is taking on the world in a little big way.
Before the beginning
Aaradhna – real name Aaradhna Jayantilal Patel – was born and raised in New Zealand’s arts and cultural capital of Wellington and is one of five siblings; two brothers and two sisters. She has been writing music and singing songs since she was 11 and looked up to her parent’s musical inclinations during childhood. She would often join her Indian father to watch Bollywood movies and watch him perform at festivals and would sing along with her mother when she sang traditional Samoan gospel songs at church.
She studied at Poirirua College where she joined a choir. However, she formed her own band Lovera when her rebellious side surfaced and she was effectively kicked out.
“I got kicked out because I didn’t listen to what the choir teacher said. My five other friends and I formed a girl group at school called Lovera – singing all day, every day, to the point where we would skip some classes, find a hidden spot, gather round and sing our favourite songs, or songs that we wrote together.”
With her upbringing overflowing with the sound of music, it’s no surprise Aaradhna bounced on to the music scene.
Rewind the times
Turning back a page in musical history of this soulful songstress, Aaradhna was in her early 20s when she was signed to New Zealand hip-hop label Dawn Raid. She featured on Adeaze’s number one single Getting Stronger, as well as songs by Savage, David Dallas and P-Money. She appeared on local film soundtracks and released a debut solo album I Love You in 2006. She achieved musical acclaim with her R&B hit singles such as I Love You Too and Downtime. Then on Valentine’s Day, 2008 released her second album Sweet Soul Music.
With two albums in tow, she jetted off to make a name for herself in America.
But after a gruelling four months of constant performing, was left completely deflated. And to top it off, Dawn Raid went in to receivership.
Susceptible to negative comments, Aaradhna was musically bruised and simply admitted defeat. “I just didn’t want to do it anymore” – a tough statement to make when you know nothing but music.
All grown up
In the years that followed, Aaradhna fell into a spell of depression. Hopeless, numb, suffering from insomnia and struggling to even get out of bed, she decided to join her partner Leon Henry, who plays for the Breakers, in Romania. With so much spare time on her hands to muse, it naturally caused her to reunite pen and paper once again. Slowly but surely she was able to peel away the layers of negative energy that had consumed her for so long.
Now aged 29, Aaradhna has been doing some growing up since we last heard of her. The extended time away from the industry induced change and she now adopts a completely new outlook on life, viewing herself and the world in a more positive light.
She is now focused on her music and doing what she has to do to move forward. Her dark phase just a distant memory as her innate, artistic side has pierced through the worst of times and brought us the best of Aaradhna.
Moving on
I managed to catch up with Aaradhna at The Groynes in Christchurch where she joined iconic artists OPSHOP, aussie singer/songwriter chick Missy Higgins and platinum selling solo artist Che-Fu at the More FM Summer Vineyard Tour 2013.
I sat waiting at the Rosebank Winery where the sun shone down highlighting the beautiful garden setting. Aaradhna arrives late due to the road works which Christchurch is of course so familiar with. But as soon as she walks round the corner and acknowledges our arrangement, she wastes no time to shake my hand with a pleasant smile, a big ‘hello’ and sits herself down across the table.
She is relaxed and at ease as she tells me about her hiatus from the industry and where her head is at now.
“At the time I just didn’t want to do it anymore, but then I spent eight months in Romania in 2008 with my partner – which was long for me. It gave me the time to explore musically.
“I’ve had a lot of time to look through heaps of artists I didn’t know about before. I’ve just had more time and less stress. I had all the time in the world to do whatever; listen to music, write music and just not think too hard about things,” Aaradhna says.
“Halfway though my stay it was when I opened up my YouTube page with a random name, which was a non-serious page, I just put little snippets of what I was writing at the time and I noticed a lot of people checking in, seeing what I was up to and asking when am I going to make new music. So that gave me the fire to do it again.
“I came back to New Zealand in 2009. When I got back that’s when I bought an actual recording programme and started writing more music. It was in 2010 that I asked Andy Murnane (manager) if we could start working on music again. But he wanted me to make sure I was in the right headspace and told me to keep writing and come back to me when you know you’re fully ready.
“It was the end of 2010 that I had my set, the album I created and all these other songs. So I gave it to them and they loved it but they were like ‘how are we going to produce this and get this out?’ P-Money heard the songs and wanted to help out on the album and Treble & Reverb was finished in 2011.”
Unquestionably Aaradhna has no problem vocalising and structuring her songs – she can sing, but admits she can’t play an instrument. So when it comes to the process of transferring a tune in her mind into a tangible track in the studio, she filters her musical concepts through her brothers who can all play instruments; a process going a long way in creating her new album Treble & Reverb.
“At home I had all the ideas and luckily all of my brothers play instruments and I can’t unfortunately. So I would try and hum them the melody and I was lucky enough to have them understand my ideas and I just recorded what they played.”
When well prepared, she describes her rehearsals as “creative, productive and fun”.
“I always write the title first, then from there I’ll have a melody and a line and it just goes together. I don’t like to force it out because then it’ll always sound rubbish, so I try to let it write itself.”
Her new attitude, along with a collection of catchy tunes christened with her own blend of “retro-metro” is her own fresh spin of 40s and 50s doo-wop sounds and harmonies. Completing her album is a dash of R&B, an influence which anchored her previous two albums. With inspiration from groups such as Rosie and the Originals, Little Anthony and the Imperials, and modern artists such as the late Amy Winehouse, her new album is strong, feminine and lyrically driven with notable tracks such as Wake Up, Lorena Bobbitt and Miss Lovely. It’s clear Aaradhna has got her rhythm back.
Fans and loyal supporters can expect to find a similar style of music in her forthcoming album. “I’m already writing for my next album… I’ve always stayed writing.”
She’s come full circle to once again enjoying doing what she loves the most and what has to do done to secure her dream.
“I’m really happy to do it again because it’s these moments, doing tours like this that just remind me of the times back when I thought I wasn’t going to go anywhere. I’m just really grateful for this time right now.”
As the interview comes to an end, Aaradhna is more than happy to pose for a photograph and sign an autograph. With a hug goodbye and another big smile, she heads off backstage to get ready for her performance. As I leave the area, I hear her strong vocals echo through the green room behind me… Aaradhna is back.
