On July 7, Nisha Asnani released her new album, The Pursuit of Happiness. The rap and electronic album discussed immigration, feminity, joy, and hard work. Her previous tracks have similar styles.
In 2019, she put out “Figures” and “Parade” as singles. In 2020, she published tracks such as “My Bad” and “Heaven.” She appeared on Michael Calfan and Harber’s single “Feelings After Dark.” The new record showcases Asnani’s progression as a musician.
To learn more about the album, please read the interview transcript with Asnani and the production team below.
The Knockturnal: Please describe this album’s production process.
Nisha Asnani: They made the album over the course of 5 years with Alex Tirheimer (Bumbasee,) and Yash Vaid. I started it in 2018, chasing a specific feeling I had found in songs like Midas, Bad Sandy, and Figures. I wanted to understand my drive; my fight, and where that came from.
When I started making this album, I was fresh off a publishing deal and a hit record with money in the bank and so many opportunities. Over the next few years, as I faced the inevitable dip and the challenges of being an independent artist, the album became a lesson in survival. The records were made with my friends Alex and Yash. I slept on floors and air mattresses and recorded in closets. I spent my rent on mixes and flights to LA.
The album is about the pursuit of happiness, my immigrant journey, being a woman and a hustler, realizing the purpose of my masculinity was to empower and protect my femininity and that freedom is an uncontrollable force that moves us whether we are ready or not.
Alex Tirheimer: There’s nothing better than developing a musical shorthand with an artist. Together, we managed to create a space where every idea was worth chasing and creative risks were encouraged. This body of work spans multiple chapters of our lives, but we stayed on the same page the whole process. Nisha is extremely talented and such an inspiration to work with. I am so proud of us!
The Knockturnal: What does the album cover represent?
Nisha Asnani: In 2019 I was on a writing trip to Mumbai which happened to fall during the festival of Holi. This joyous celebration of colors and chaos was one of my favorite memories as a kid: everyone getting together and letting loose on a totally different level than any other time in the year. And you get to throw paint on your aunties! It’s a playfully rebellious holiday, and this is a playfully rebellious album. As always I want my art to be a safe place to let loose. I wanted to recreate that feeling of freedom on the album cover, to connect my immigrant journey and the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness to my roots. I brought back bottles of Holi powder and kept them safe for 3 years until we shot the album cover in 2022.
The Knockturnal: Why did you choose “Keep Running” as the first track?
Nisha Asnani: Honestly, I have a great deal of respect for people’s time, and I asked myself if they heard one song on this album, one message – which would be the most important. The answer was Keep Running, because I wanted to prepare people for the infinite nature of desire and pursuit. There is no end to life, to consciousness. It’s constantly evolving, and so are we. Everything is evolving, so if you’re in life, you have to find the ability, the will, and the source in yourself to stay connected and stay evolving. It’s on one hand an encouragement and another a direction – it’s not safe to get stuck. It was like my higher self whispering to me as I came into the physical realm – don’t stop.
The Knockturnal: The backing track for “To The Top Freestyle” features many noises and chimes. How did you create it?
Nisha Asnani: I’m going to pass this question along to producer Dave Berg because this track was his fully formed genius.
Dave Berg: The beat for “The Top” was made in the depths of the pandemic. I was flipping lots of samples because I was isolated from sessions and working with my regular collaborators.
The Knockturnal: What does the beginning of “DAAL” represent?
Nisha Asnani: I’ve definitely come up with 100 possible meanings for this fun song but the truth is its just a vignette that played out in my house so many times growing up: the kids coming home hungry and my mom (who happened to be an amazing cook who made us the best Indian food all the time,) trying to get us to eat leftovers instead of bully her into cooking. I also wanted to honor the home kitchens that have made us so resilient. Beyond food being a pillar of pride in our own culture, Indian food has become a representation of comfort, flavor, and care throughout the world.
The Knockturnal: The vocals on “DAAL” involve some pitch-shifting. Could you let me know why you chose that effect?
Nisha Asnani: That was all Yash – I sent him a voice memo of my mom and brother jamming out and DAAL is the genius he sent back.
The Knockturnal: In the first verse of “Freedom,” you mention a “spyglass.” How did you come up with this image?
Nisha Asnani: Honestly, when I am flowing, images like that come to me. This one is about the haters who I felt so far enough from me that they had to pull out telescopes and spy instruments to see what I was up to.
The Knockturnal: Please talk about your collaborations with Kumar, Sunita, and PAV4N.
Nisha Asnani: My brother has always wanted to make music, and I was over at his house one day and he started spitting this really funny boppy melody, and my mom jumped in. I think music is all around us, and the best music comes from that stuff you just sing to yourself in the car or the kitchen – the things that make you happy.
PAV4N and I met in 2019 in Mumbai and I ended up performing with him during the Bud X Festival. We remained friends, and he has been a mentor to me while working on this album. This voicemail is one of many notes of encouragement, and I just love him and his voice and wanted to use something personal and unscripted in this song.
The Knockturnal: Why did you choose “Found You” as the last track?
Nisha Asnani: I wrote Found You during my first official queership, a few years after I came out. It was the first time I had experienced acceptance and emotional support as non-binary in a romantic partnership. I think it’s important for us to define an endpoint for ourselves (because wanting things is infinite) and for me, that love was it. Unfortunately, although the relationship did not last or even end particularly well, it showed me what was possible, and I never forgot or let go of that feeling. Found You ultimately is not saying you’ll get what you want and stop wanting anything. It just means when you find the things you really want, you’ll circle them, protect them, and surrender to them.