Q&A: Ritika Promotes Empathy in Her Latest Track “Arabella”
DESPITE HER YOUNG AGE — 20-year-old singer-songwriter, producer, and instrumentalist Ritika has quite a lot of experience on her shoulders, already spanning a decade despite her young age. Her latest demo single, “Arabella,” conveys tranquility and peace as the Georgia-based artist sings delicately over an acoustic guitar.
With the song, she invites other people to talk about their problems if they were to suffer from anxiety or depression, promoting a sense of empathy in her music.
But writing music for herself is not enough — in the future, Ritika sees herself writing music for other artists.
Read below to learn more about Ritka’s music, what inspires her sound, and where she hopes to go next.
LUNA: Introduce yourself. How and when was your musical project born?
RITIKA: My name is Ritika and I am a 20-year-old musician from Georgia. I am a songwriter, producer, and instrumentalist. I have been writing music since I was 10 and producing since I was 14.
LUNA: How has your music changed within the past few years?
RITIKA: I'm pretty new to releasing music. I would say the style of the music I was making was very indie pop. I think I was just trying to make music other people would like. I would say I only really take inspiration from myself and the other artists I love at the moment. I think the production of music has drastically improved over time.
LUNA: Who inspired your music? Who are your biggest influences?
RITIKA: Production-wise, Rostam and Labrinth inspire my music. I like how their production emphasizes the story that the lyrics are telling. I try to practice production mirroring in all my songs, and these two artists do that very well. Lyrically, my biggest influences right now are Lizzy McAlpine and Billie Eilish — I think they are some of the best storytellers in the space, and I love how they aren't just releasing singles but concepts. I want to tell full stories with chapters and my upcoming music will do just that.
LUNA: Could you introduce your favorite singles you've released so far?
RITIKA: “Arabella” is my most recent single and it is one of my favorite songs I have released. I think it has one of those sounds that is timeless. I think if you told someone that it was written in the 1960s, 1900s, or 2010s, people would believe you because it has that simple timeless sound. I think the lyrics are simply beautiful.
LUNA: How did you develop this style? Will you experiment with other genres in the future?
RITIKA: I plan to experiment with every genre right now. I'm working on a few R&B tracks, Bossanova, pop… everything really.
LUNA: What inspired “Arabella”? How did it come to life?
RITIKA: “Arabella” was written in high school. I had people in my life who were suffering from depression and anxiety, and this song was to tell them that I was there to talk to them if they needed to. I think at the time I wasn't going through anything at the level they were, [but] I wanted them to know that I could always listen. I truly believe that talking about your problems makes the situation a bit better in terms of processing your feelings.
LUNA: Who produces your tracks? How do you choose which producers to work with? Do you have some dream producers you'd like to work with?
RITIKA: I have produced most of my tracks in recent years. I started working with other producers to be more time efficient. I honestly just started working with producers [who] work close to where I live, but now I am being more selective in the process. I am currently interning at two recording studios so I have learned a lot more about the tedious process. I would love to work with Labrinth and Rostam. I also think Kamal and Omer Fedi are really cool producers as well.
LUNA: Is music your main occupation at the moment? If not, how are you conciliating your day job with your music career?
RITIKA: I am currently a full-time student at the University of Georgia, and I also work at a library. I would say balancing all my "jobs" is difficult but not draining. I truly love everything I decide to involve myself with and honestly making music doesn't feel like a chore but a blessing. I try to allow weekends and holidays to focus on music.
LUNA: Have you ever been on tour? Would you like to embark on one?
RITIKA: I would like to eventually go on tour. Right now, it doesn't seem really feasible. I also don't really play with a band because I track most of the instruments myself, but once I find some people I would love to get on the road and get going.
LUNA: Who's your dream feature?
RITIKA: My dream feature would definitely be Lizzy McAlpine. I think anything we would make would be the best song ever (to me).
LUNA: Where do you see yourself in one year as a musician?
RITIKA: I hope to one day have a publishing deal. Songwriting is my passion and I really want to write for other artists. I think my strength is capturing other people's stories. Hopefully in one year I have more writing credits. I hope to have a full-length project. Because I am doing everything by myself, putting out music is taking a long time, so releasing anything would be a win in my book.
