San Francisco-based singer/songwriter $EJ is on to something with her genre-bending, Hindi hyper-pop single “GIRLY POP SONG.” The title might come off a bit preppy, but don’t let this fool you. The Bay Area singer brings together a potpourri of sounds influenced by modern experimental pop and her South Asian background, especially her Carnatic music training. Her airy vocal runs stay prevalent and rise to a crescendo on the chorus when she switches to Hindi which adds a divine-like aesthetic to the rousing backdrop. The drums are particularly distinct and frenetic while the brooding cinematic pads evoke some type of urgency into the fold as $EJ leads listeners on a journey of reflection through anxiety and mental health struggles.
FYI: Carnatic music, known as Karnāṭaka saṃgīta or Karnāṭaka saṅgītam in the South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
