Indian-American pop singer-songwriter Nikita has recently released a new single, ‘Pillow Prince’. As co-writer, co-producer and mixer, Nikita has crafted a hypnotic electro R’n’B club anthem that redefines gender roles with Bollywood-inspired jazz vocals. The song blends masculine energy and inverts traditional gender narratives, transporting listeners into an erotic, queer-coded universe.

In an exclusive interview with IndiaToday.in, the singer-songwriter spoke about balancing her Indian identity with the West, her inspiration behind making music, blending Bollywood-inspired jazz with R’n’B, embracing her queer identity, using AI in music, and more.

Excerpts from the interview:

Tell me a little about your process – mixing R’n’B with Bollywood-inspired jazz. It’s not a very popular mix in the global music scene, if I’m right?

Thank you so much! And no, I don’t think so! Although I’m sure some people are doing some variations on it. For this song, I was just trying to create a melody that felt true to my influences and style but also sounded compelling. And it turned out to be this jazzy, Bollywood-esque R’n’B melody! I usually don’t try to think about artistic ideas because I’m already very careful in the way I work.

You always explore themes of empowerment, love and self-discovery in your music. Tell me how much inspiration you draw from your personal experiences and your dual identity of being from Indian roots and being in the West?

Oh, I definitely get the bulk of my inspiration from my experiences! Growing up in India and then moving to California is tough in itself, but I’ve spent a lifetime accepting who I am – whether it’s certain disabilities I’ve always had, my queerness, or my identity in a world defined by labels. I’ve found that building an unbreakable relationship with yourself is the key to a good life and it’s a lifelong endeavor. So through my art I want to encourage my listeners to do the same.

‘Pillow Prince’ really pushed the boundaries by embracing sexuality. How did you decide on the theme and was there anything you kept in mind while bringing this vision to life since you ultimately have to be careful about the presentation?

Well, I’ve always written music from a queer lens because that’s who I am. But, recently, I’ve become even more open and vocal about how my art comes from my lived experience of being demisexual and gender-fluid. I think queer identities that fall under the ace and non-binary umbrella are so underrepresented in the media, especially in music. They’re incredibly misunderstood and often overlooked. So, when I make music embracing my sexuality, or even just love songs, I know I’m naturally going to approach it from the perspective of someone who craves and really needs emotional connection and genderqueer excitement before anything else. I’ve always incorporated that into my songs. The more vocal I’ve become, the more I find myself surrounded by listeners who relate to that experience, share a similar identity, or find it so wonderful because they never knew there were words for how they feel and see themselves.

It has been a very humbling and beautiful experience for me that there are so many listeners who really need the music I make and the music I perform. My audience sees themselves represented in my music for the first time, which is a very sweet and bittersweet feeling for me as an artist. I always wanted people to listen to my music, feel confident about themselves and love themselves even more. And I think songs like ‘Pillow Prince’ help me do that so beautifully. To be a part of the best and most non-binary representation in music and to feel like this is something I can do effortlessly is very gratifying.

Balancing your Indian heritage with contemporary sounds can be challenging at times. How do you deal with this? Do you still feel any resistance to finding success in the Western music field?

I try to think of it as a perfect blend for each song rather than a challenge. I often ask myself – where does my culture fit into this particular art form? What do I want to hear in this song? That takes the pressure off and the music is more authentic. And it creates a lot less resistance to reaching any audience anywhere.

I have people who don’t speak Hindi and love songs like ‘Tum Aur Main’ and ‘Apsara’. I also have people who instantly understand that my melodies are still inspired by India and the classical music I learned as a child. And it all feels lovely. The most important thing is to create art that connects with people.

What role does technology play in your songwriting and music creation process?

I mean, I’m a producer in addition to being a singer and songwriter, so I would say technology plays a big role in making music for me. I love using Splice. I have a Komplete Kontrol Native Instruments keyboard – it’s my favorite – and I use my voice a lot as an instrument in production. If you’re a producer today, you rely on technology to make music. I’m still incredibly distrustful of AI in music though. It doesn’t seem ethical at all.

Does the fact that K-pop has become so popular in the US also make you confident that the Indian music industry is also going to explode soon? By Indian music industry I mean everything that you, Raja Kumari and others are doing, not just Bollywood. What have you learned from this K-pop explosion, because I see it as a big game changer?

It’s definitely a huge game changer! I think it started with a huge wave of Latin American music first, then African styles and sounds, and now we’re seeing this wave with K-pop. People’s ears are getting accustomed to all kinds of new styles, blends, and languages, and it gives artists around the world more freedom to experiment and dream big. I think South Asian music — not just India — is heading towards a huge breakthrough, which has been a long time coming, given that South Asian music has been incorporated into American songs for decades. Everywhere — from Britney Spears to the Black Eyed Peas and Timbaland — I think it’s finally time for South Asian artists around the world to take that story forward.

What is your dream of going to Bollywood? Do you have any aspirations? Who do you want to work with or take inspiration from?

Honestly, I never thought about it as a singer, but one day I would love to be involved in soundtrack production for a Bollywood film!

If you had the opportunity to collaborate with any artist globally, past or present, who would it be and why?

I think right now I would choose Beyoncé and Victoria Monét. They are both artists I admire and respect so much for many different reasons. Working with them would be a huge thing for me!