Shreea Kaul
Courtesy of @shreeakaul’s management team

Shreea Kaul: A Rising Voice in Contemporary R&B

,

Shreea Kaul has been making waves recently. Her latest singles, Tere Bina and Bheegi, are kaleidoscopic tracks that blend contemporary R&B with the rich sounds of early Bollywood music. You might have already heard these songs, with Tere Bina nearing 10 million streams on Spotify and Bheegi gaining traction on TikTok. She is undoubtedly a pioneer of this irresistible fusion of modern R&B, pop, and desi influences.

While Kaul is now a pioneer of this fusion, it took time for her to reach this trailblazing status. Her musical journey began in high school, where she joined her school’s choir and “performed at coffee shops, clubs, and weddings” (source). It wasn’t until after her sophomore year at Texas A&M that Kaul decided to pursue music full-time. She found a producer to collaborate with, which culminated in her debut LP, Skins, released in 2017 under the moniker Shreya. Skins, a daring project, captured the angst of youth and the vulnerability of love. Though Kaul was still searching for her sound, the album showcased her raw vocal talent and willingness to be honest and vulnerable, addressing taboo topics for South Asians, like drugs and sex. On “Sweet 16”, she reflects on falling madly in love and its consequences, especially when the other person is “blinded by drugs.” While rooted in traditional R&B, Skins experimented with fusing her heritage with the genre, creating a space for her distinctive voice in the world of mainstream pop and R&B.

Kaul eventually returned to school, but that didn’t stop her from releasing more music. Now going by the moniker Shreea Kaul, she dropped her second LP, The Seven Deadly Sins, a fantastic collection of contemporary R&B and soul-inspired tracks. The Seven Deadly Sins once again highlighted her incredible vocals—listen to her performance on the single “Gluttony”, which could easily be mistaken for Ariana Grande.

While Skins had already demonstrated her brilliant voice, The Seven Deadly Sins proved that Kaul was also an inventive lyricist. The songs on the LP explore themes of love, romance, and intimacy, cleverly woven around each of the seven deadly sins. She takes creative approaches to avoid making the concept feel gimmicky. “Sloth” addresses the motivation a strong connection provides and the laziness that follows when it’s lost, as she writes about “sitting at home” and composing “love songs.” Her lyrics can also be forthright, such as in the closing track, “Envy”, where she candidly shares the jealousy she feels about an ex’s new girlfriend.

Instrumentally, Kaul experimented with contemporary R&B, incorporating trap elements into “Anger”. She also deepened her exploration of South Asian influences, particularly evident in the track “Gluttony”, where traditional sounds blend seamlessly with contemporary production.

The Seven Deadly Sins was an artistic breakthrough for Shreea Kaul. It’s a sweet and enjoyable LP that I highly recommend you listen to (it would be a sin if you didn’t). After this album, she began to gain well-deserved recognition, producing increasingly viral singles, and growing into one of the most promising South Asian diaspora artists today—all while working a corporate job.

It’s well deserved. She’s shown the drive needed to thrive in the cutthroat music industry. She has an irresistible blend of sounds, a passionate fan base, natural talent, and sincerity with her art: a rare combination that’s easily going to propel her into stardom.


Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *