Indian singer-songwriter Rounak Maiti has recently returned with his new single “Enlightened!”, described as “a love song, but also a coming-of-age song”. The song was one of the first that he wrote after moving back to India in 2019 and helped him confront aspects of his identity that he had put aside while living in America.
The song combines elements of soaring indie folk and pop with a rousing anthemic spirit that feels like a bit of a Brandon Flowers / The Killers mix, carrying elements of bold 80s rock with a pop-friendly polish.
Or as he puts it further:
It captures my restlessness to “become something” or achieve some kind of greater, higher purpose – if there even is one – while at the same time acknowledging that this pursuit can often distract you from focusing on the ones you love and the ones you truly care about. I think ultimately I try to make peace with the fact that there isn’t some greater meaning to uncover, but just love that persists in the end. I tackle my relationship with memory as well, which is a fraught and fragmented thing, and is highly influenced by the historical artifacts of my life I keep close to me – photographs, videos, letters and old text messages.
Enjoy a listen to “Enlightened!” now below.
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