Following the slow-burn intimacy of his 2021 debut 'Heartbreak Hotel', Naik deepens his sound with six emotionally vivid tracks that blend bedroom pop haze with diaristic songwriting. It’s a record that whispers truths you didn’t know you needed.
So with the new EP out now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
Honestly? My voice. I didn’t have access to a lot of instruments growing up, so singing became my first instrument by default. It was the one thing I could always carry with me, and the one thing that felt like mine.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I grew up on a mix of 90s and early 2000s pop and a lot of Bollywood music. My family used to play Bollywood songs in the car all the time, and those melodies and emotions definitely shaped the way I write now.
What was the first album you remember owning?
Let Go by Avril Lavigne. That album was everything to me! Emotional, rebellious, melodic. It was the first time I remember feeling like music could understand me.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
“Your Love Is My Drug” by Kesha. It’s pure pop magic. Fun, unhinged, emotional, and catchy in a way that feels effortless.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
I usually write late at night when everything feels quieter and a little more surreal. I dim the lights, let my space get soft and calm, and just follow whatever feeling comes up. Most of my ideas sound like dreams I’m trying to remember.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of Kesha, Florence + the Machine, Lauv, blackbear, and Rosé. They all hit such different emotional spaces.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Definitely Kesha or Lauv. They both put so much heart and energy into their shows, and their music shaped so much of who I am as an artist. Opening for either of them would feel surreal.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
When someone tells me they relate to something I wrote. Knowing that a lyric I made in my bedroom connects with someone else out in the world.. That’s the part that means the most to me.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Honestly, finishing my songs. I’ll get 90% of the way there and then obsess over every tiny detail. Letting go and calling something “done” is the hardest part for me.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
The best advice I’ve gotten is to stop trying to make the “perfect” song and just make the honest one. Perfection kills creativity every time.
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Late Night Feelings' new EP 'In Your Dreams' is out now. Check it out in the player below.