COLORSxSTUDIOS

Your parents immigrated from Sri Lanka to Switzerland in the ’80s. What was it like growing up in the country as a child of immigrants?

Growing up with two cultures was difficult to balance. I didn’t feel connected to my Tamil roots, it took me a while to embrace them. As a teenager I was surrounded by Swiss culture, but in school I was a loner. Digging for new music was a passion for me from a young age, but it wasn’t something I could share with my schoolmates. Aside from my brother, I couldn’t find anyone who liked the same styles as me.

Your brother, Japhna Gold, is now your producer. When you were 10-years-old you were in a band with him and your father. How did this experience shape your current collaborative relationship?

I didn’t choose to be in the band, my dad asked me to join because he couldn’t find a female singer. I found singing Tamil songs quite difficult, mainly because of the high notes and the runs, but Japhna had to remember all the interludes, all the intros, and all the chords for each and every song, which is what was most crazy. I believe all of his inspiration comes from learning those interludes back in the day.

You often showcase aspects of your culture in your music videos. Where do you pull your inspiration from?

Films are my main point of reference for our culture. I was born and raised in Switzerland, so I only know about this stuff from watching thousands of Kollywood movies. Watching them, eating traditional foods, and speaking in Tamil also bonded my family together. It was important to my parents that we could experience elements of our heritage so we can pass them on to the next generation.

Tell us about the tracks you chose to perform for your debut A COLORS SHOW. 

My brother started to write ‘Black Goose’ and ‘Let Me Breathe’ after he saw the video of the murder of George Floyd. He didn’t come out of his room for two days after he saw it. It affected us both very strongly. The tracks speak about police brutality, as well as the brutality that continues to take place in Sri Lanka.

When I first recorded the songs in the studio it felt like something took over me. I felt a lot of anger, rage, and frustration, like I was channeling my ancestors. I didn’t experience the war in Sri Lanka, but my parents did.I believe that transfers through. Performing them at COLORS was very different though. I felt pain while singing.

Both ‘Black Goose’ and ‘Let Me Breathe’ are from your upcoming album, ‘Santhosam’. What else can you tell us about the project? 

‘Santhosam’ means “happiness”. The songs on the album describe the journey to my own happiness, finding spiritually, and finding a sense of purpose in what I’m doing.