Tanushree On Bloom, DIY Production, and Starting From Scratch

Tanushree Bhowmick really, really likes to sing. That sounds almost too simple of a way to introduce an artist, but with Tanushree, it might actually be the most important place to start.

She is still very early in figuring out what being an artist looks like for her solo career. Her newest album, Bloom, came out this summer, and much of the music starts and ends with Tanushree herself: she does all the process of writing, singing, recording and producing her own songs. You can hear someone learning by doing in real time: trying different sounds, stacking vocals, playing around with production, and putting the result out into the world before everything has to be perfect.

And that is honestly what made us want to talk to her. Tanushree isn’t coming into music with some perfectly polished artist mythology already written. She just loves singing, has songs she wants to make, and decided to make them. So for this edition of DPP: The Next Star Chat, we wanted to meet her right there at the beginning.

DicePressPlay: Your Instagram says Trina Bhowmick, while your music comes out under Tanushree Bhowmick. I have to start there — what’s the story behind the two names? And does one feel a little more like “you” when it comes to being an artist?

Tanushree Bhowmick: So, my Instagram name is Trina while the music I release is under the name Tanushree because Trina is my nickname. Both Trina and Tanushree are very close to my heart and represent different sides of me. Both embody my personality as an extroverted and bubbly person.

At the same time, I feel like Trina could be a good stage name too. Tanushree is the name my parents gave me, and it represents me as a whole. Both names feel very close to my heart. When someone calls me Trina, I feel more grounded and closer to that person. When someone calls me Tanushree, I get a sense of responsibility and this desire to be a good leader for that person.

DicePressPlay: You’ve actually been making and performing music for years, including with your girl group PinNaree. I listened to “Romance Is Dead” and really loved it! Take us back a little — how did PinNaree happen, and what did being part of that group teach you before you started releasing music on your own?

Tanushree Bhowmick: First of all, I would like to say that the research you guys have done is impeccable! And yes, I have been creating music for several years, including being part of the girl group PinNaree.

The group started when my friends and I were in college, back in I think 2017. We were all in the English department together, and four of us decided that since we all loved dance and music and had been trained in them in different ways, we should start something of our own. One of my friends, Shreya, a.k.a. Mirin, is trained in music, and she helped the rest of us get the hang of the technical side of singing. All four of us are pretty good singers and know a little bit about mixing and mastering. My friend Myra, a.k.a. Poulami, is also a trained classical dancer, and Jenny is trained in dance as well. I’m trained in dance too, and I’ve always loved music and singing. Since we were already friends and had similar tastes when it came to music and dance, it was honestly a seamless process to create music together, and we loved doing it.

“Romance Is Dead” is honestly one of my favorite songs. It was mostly written by my friends, and they did an amazing job. Watching them work together on a YouTube channel and create original songs helped my own confidence grow too.

I had written poems ever since I was in school and never really stopped, but I wasn’t very confident when it came to writing music because I wasn’t trained in it, even though I felt I was good at it. On top of that, I have suffered from severe tonsillitis since I was seven years old, and I was scared that I might never be able to sing again. However, my friends gave me the confidence to try writing lyrics and complimented my vocals when I started singing. Eventually, the melodies and lyrics just started coming to me naturally.

DicePressPlay: And you’ve performed quite a bit too! What kinds of stages or spaces have you performed in so far? Is there one show that still sticks in your head?

Tanushree Bhowmick: Yes, I performed during my college years and also after that. I mostly perform at open mics, or if I’m invited to perform at a stage show, contest, or festival — for example, a K-pop festival in my city. Choosing a favorite is honestly hard! Every show has given me a memorable experience so far.

DicePressPlay: Your influences also seem to come from so many different places. Who were some of the artists you grew up with, and who later changed the way you thought about music?

Tanushree Bhowmick: Honestly, there are so many musical role models who have inspired me along the way. Since I’m from India, I grew up learning Indian classical dance and was naturally inclined toward Indian classical music as well. So, of course, I grew up hearing masterpieces by Zakir Hussain and Ravi Shankar.

India is also huge on Bollywood, so I grew up listening to Lata Mangeshkar ma’am, A.R. Rahman sir, Sonu Nigam sir, Shreya Ghoshal ma’am, and Sunidhi Chauhan ma’am, among many others.

When it comes to English and international music, I grew up listening to Imagine Dragons, Linkin Park, the Black Eyed Peas, and 2000s pop icons like Lady Gaga and Britney Spears.

As my music taste evolved in college, I slowly got into K-pop and started loving groups like SEVENTEEN and BTS. It opened up a whole new world for me. I also love electronic artists like ODESZA, Flume, Daft Punk, and DROELOE.

DicePressPlay: Your first solo EP is called Who, Me?, which is such a good title for a debut because it already sounds like you’re questioning your own identity a little. What were you asking yourself with that title?

Tanushree Bhowmick: Since it was my first EP that I was releasing, the title fit perfectly. Not only was I asking myself who I was as a musician, but I was also introducing myself to an audience as a musician. Who, Me? basically asks: Who am I to you? Who am I to myself? That’s what I wanted the songs to answer.

DicePressPlay: Did those four songs always feel like they belonged together, or did you write them separately and only realize later that they were becoming an EP?

Tanushree Bhowmick: Honestly, I started writing the four songs separately, and the melodies came to me at different points throughout one full year. But when I listened to them together, I realized that they could be pieced together into one album.

DicePressPlay: When you listen back to Who, Me? now, which song still sounds the most like the artist you are today? And are there any that feel more like an older version of you?

Tanushree Bhowmick: I think “Running Through My Mind” still represents the kind of melody and music I’ll write in the future because I love Afropop and chill sounds.“Invincible” is also a song that still resonates with me, and the melody is something I want to hold onto as a genre and direction in the future. “Fall” and “Harmony” probably represent my past versions more.

DicePressPlay: There’s less than a year between Who, Me? and Bloom, but listening to them, it already sounds like you learned a lot in between. What changed for you creatively during that time?

Tanushree Bhowmick: I think making the first EP was a huge learning experience for me, and after that, Bloom not only showed my music in more detail but also felt like an improvement from the first EP. I learned a lot more about mixing and mastering, and I also realized what worked within my vocal range and what kinds of music I personally loved listening to.

For the first EP, I won’t deny that I was inspired by a lot of K-pop sounds. But this time, I was more inspired by genres and sounds that I could see myself listening to in the long run — for example, Afropop and EDM, along with alternative rock and touches of Indian sounds.

DicePressPlay: I also love that you went from an EP called Who, Me? to an album called Bloom. It almost sounds like a confidence arc even if you didn’t plan it that way. Was that connection intentional at all?

Tanushree Bhowmick: Interestingly, the progression from Who, Me? to Bloom was not really intentional. When I started making the second album, I hadn’t thought of a name yet, but I knew the concept I wanted to incorporate and the kinds of sounds I wanted to use. Funnily enough, I actually had several ideas for the album name.

My first idea was to make the album almost like a drinks menu — a summer album where the songs were different kinds of cocktails. Then, while making the songs, I found a Pinterest photoshoot involving fruit where the concept was crushing the fruit with your hands. From that, I thought of the album name Fruits of Labour, but it wasn’t sitting right. Finally, the name Bloom came to me. It was simple and straightforward. On top of that, when I watched some time-lapse videos on YouTube of beautiful flowers like orchids blooming, it felt like the perfect name for the album.

DicePressPlay: So when you say Bloom, what does “blooming” actually mean to you at this point in your life and music?

Tanushree Bhowmick: Just like a butterfly is born from a cocoon, and its identity before becoming a butterfly was still important, I think Bloom is similar to that. Bloom represents how I am slowly blossoming into my full potential. Just like blooming flowers, I am creating different kinds of music and sounds that all resonate with me. Not only am I blooming as a human being with a vibrant personality, but my art is also gradually blossoming.

DicePressPlay: Was there one song where you suddenly thought, okay, I’m making an album?

Tanushree Bhowmick: I think the answer would be “Rabbit Hole.” This song was actually written almost eight years ago, when I had first started writing music. The song represents not only the fight and struggle I had in my personal life, but also how I overcame it and fought through darker times. If you notice the album sequence, it moves from this revolutionary and rebellious phase into a softer phase of love. I think my life is also transitioning in that way — moving from resilience into a phase of love.

DicePressPlay: Okay, let’s get properly into Bloom. You directed the “Rabbit Hole” video yourself, which is honestly so cool. What could you say visually through that video that you couldn’t fully communicate through the recording alone?

Tanushree Bhowmick: First of all, thank you so much for watching the video and liking it! I think this song is relevant not only to the fight I had to deal with in my personal life, but also to what is going on in the world right now. With all the unfair things happening around us, I felt like this song deserved a video, especially because of the final words I included in it. I also really wanted to push myself and see if I could create an entire music video alone without anyone’s help.

DicePressPlay: Something else I noticed on Bloom is how much your voice changes from song to song. Sometimes it’s soft and almost dreamy, and elsewhere you sound much more powerful. Did you already hear those vocal personalities in your head while producing, or did you discover them once you started recording?

Tanushree Bhowmick: I think while creating the instrumentals, I already had an idea of how I wanted my vocals to sound. For example, for “Risk,” I knew I wanted this whispered, almost siren-like feeling — similar to what you get from slowed and reverbed songs. When it came to “Borderless,” I wanted to sound stronger and louder than I did on “Risk” or “Without You.”

At the same time, I did a lot of trial and error while recording, so the texture of the vocals definitely developed throughout the recording process as well.

DicePressPlay: You did so much of this album yourself, so I really want to know what the whole journey looked like. From the first idea to the moment you finally went, “Yep, Bloom is done,” how did this album come together?

Tanushree Bhowmick: The first song I definitely wanted on the album was “Rabbit Hole.” The thing is, I had already uploaded an original version of the song through PinNaree’s YouTube channel. I went back and listened to it, and it was still exactly the direction I wanted, with orchestra and electric guitar. However, I felt like the BPM was too slow, and I thought it would sound better if it were faster. So I recreated the instrumental first, and then started thinking about how I wanted my vocals to sound and whether I wanted to keep the original harmonization. Other than that, I already had ideas for some of the other songs because I love listening to EDM and slowed-and-reverb music.

I usually started with the instrumental because, for me, music without lyrics can actually inspire me more. As I sifted through different samples and loops and looked for the perfect sounds, melodies started coming naturally. I think I realized the album was complete when I made the EDM track “Tonight.” I didn’t want to have only songs centered around lyrics. I also wanted songs where instrumental melodies could take the spotlight because I personally love that.

I think the album has many different kinds of songs that can resonate with people who have very different tastes in music.

DicePressPlay: You were basically switching between songwriter, singer, producer, mixing engineer, and mastering engineer throughout this whole thing. Was it ever hard to stop zooming in on the tiny details and remember what you wanted the album to feel like as a whole?

Tanushree Bhowmick: There were definitely times when I was pretty confused, to be honest. But when I was making the melodies and instrumentals, I knew from my gut what sounds I personally loved hearing. I didn’t sit in front of my laptop thinking about what other people would like. I tried to create melodies that I genuinely love listening to, so that part came pretty seamlessly.

When it came to lyrics, I would listen to the instrumental over and over again and decide what kind of emotions I wanted to show through that melody. I’ve noticed something about the way I create music: there’s usually a chorus or hook that comes into my mind first, and I immediately write it down in my notes. Apart from that, the melody is usually the first thing that pops into my head. Sometimes I record myself singing it on my phone, or I directly open an app like GarageBand or BandLab and try to make a rough draft.

I also think mixing and mastering come hand in hand. When you’re doing one, the other becomes almost mandatory, and the editing naturally flows from one into the other. For me, once I have the instrumental and lyrics prepared, recording the song and mastering my vocals becomes easier. The most grueling part for me is definitely making the instrumental. If I don’t like it or don’t get that happy feeling in my heart while listening to it, I’ll keep editing it.

DicePressPlay: “Without You” feels like one of the softer, more vulnerable moments on the album. Where did that song come from emotionally?

Tanushree Bhowmick: Okay, so ever since I was a child, there has always been a side of me that loves to daydream. I was an English master’s student, and I’ve always loved reading fictional stories. Fantasy, detective stories, romance novels — I love all of those genres, and naturally, the daydreaming came along with them. As I grew up, just like everybody else, I went through love and heartbreak. However, I never really found the kind of romance I was looking for and craving.

The melody and song became an amalgamation of those daydreams and the romance that I’ve actually been able to experience. When I was listening to guitar samples, one particular chord progression really stood out to me. It sounded soft and romantic and reminded me of this serene room with wispy white curtains blowing in the wind, sunlight trickling inside, and a lazy morning where your partner is there with you.

No rush. Nowhere to be. Just two people enjoying each other’s company and having a slow morning. That is what I wanted the song to feel like.

It’s not like I was miserable before they came into my life, but they showed me that there is this bigger and better feeling that I can experience with them too.

I was doing okay when I was without you

But you showed me a world that’s brand new

DicePressPlay: Just like you mentioned before, some of your songs are more on the electronic side. Where did that side of the song come from?

Tanushree Bhowmick: I love electronic music. It just makes imagination and dreaming that much easier. I also love dancing, especially the vibe of clubs with huge dance floors and beautiful strobe lights.

If you’ve come across the music video for “Like Crazy” by Jimin or “Eyes on You” by SEVENTEEN, those capture exactly what I wanted to embody through this music. Whenever I hear the song, I imagine this huge dance floor with strobe lights and people dancing while everything seems to move in slow motion.

DicePressPlay: I know this is probably evil to ask after you made the whole thing yourself, but I have to: what’s your favorite song on Bloom?

Tanushree Bhowmick: Honestly, I cannot pick just one! My top three are “Risk,” “Spell on You,” and “Rabbit Hole.”

DicePressPlay: For someone who wants to picture what your actual little music-making setup looks like, what are the instruments, software, and tools that you keep coming back to?

Tanushree Bhowmick: The main instruments and applications I use for my songs are GarageBand, BandLab, and FL Studio. That, plus my trusted Snowball mic, my ukulele, and my lyric-writing notebook against the world!

DicePressPlay: When you sit down to make something new, what usually gets there first? Is it a melody, one lyric, a beat, a chord progression — or are you someone who just starts clicking through sounds until something suddenly grabs you?

Tanushree Bhowmick: I think every song-making process is different for me. But most of the time, I either get the main chorus lyrics and melody in my head, and I immediately record them using the voice recorder on my phone. Once I have the hook melody and maybe one sentence or phrase for the chorus, I build the whole song around that.

The chorus melody that comes into my head honestly makes the rest of the song-making process easier. This has always happened pretty smoothly for me, and I haven’t had to think too hard about it. Since melodies and lyrics can come at any time of day, I always keep my phone nearby so I can record them. There are also times when I hear a new song on a streaming platform like YouTube and want to create something inspired by that kind of sound. In those situations, a particular sample or beat can definitely become the main anchor for me.

DicePressPlay: Being an independent artist now almost means being a musician and a content creator at the same time. How do you protect the music you actually want to make while also dealing with this pressure to constantly be visible online?

Tanushree Bhowmick: Honestly, it’s a difficult process. If someone wants to build a career out of music and earn money through it, then they not only have to become a musician and composer, but also a content creator, which can be hard. Artists create because they love creating. But if someone wants to generate income from it, they also have to think about the audience and their tastes, and that can become contradictory. However, I’ve noticed that if you create something you genuinely love and would personally want to listen to as an audience member, it will naturally resonate with other people too.

If you yourself don’t want to listen to the song you’ve made, then no one else will want to listen to it either. If you get excited or get goosebumps while listening to your own melody or looking at your own art, then there will definitely be people with a similar mindset who will love your creation. But yes, there is added pressure from having to display yourself online and constantly create content. That’s difficult to do alone while also making music. Getting in touch with an agency that can help may be useful. If someone is short on budget, they can also schedule their content and manage things independently at first, and later get help from an agency or even friends who are willing to support them.

DicePressPlay: You’ve proven that you can do a crazy amount on your own, but independence doesn’t necessarily mean doing literally everything forever. Do you picture yourself eventually building a team? And what kind of support would make the biggest difference for you right now?

Tanushree Bhowmick: Frankly, production and promotion take a lot of money. Right now, I’m doing everything myself and trying to save as much money as I can because I’m not necessarily going to get an immediate return from it. And I don’t want to stress myself out over something that I love. I love music, and I want to create music because I love it. I also hope more people will listen to my sound.

FOLLOW TANUSHREE BHOWMICK:

• Instagram – trina_bhowmick
• Instagram – Next_ door_ singer
• Spotify – Spotify Link
• YouTube channel- YouTube Link