A couple of weeks ago, Bengaluru-based indie-pop, R&B music duo Ranj X Clifr dropped their new single, Conversation. With spacey, rhythmic loops mounted on vocals alternating between blues and rap, the song is 23-year-old music producer Clifr’s experiment with chord structure and progressions. “It’s mainly a guitar-driven song, but is stitched together with more than four chords, unlike our previous songs,” he says, accompanied by singer-songwriter Ranjani Ramadoss aka Ranj, 24.
The two had been part of Carnatic fusion, jazz experimental band Kelvikkuri, and started making music together about a year and a half ago. “We wanted to try something outside the band. I started producing music and didn’t know if Ranj would want to rap. We first signed up for a competition and then started making music together. I kept producing music and she kept writing it,” says Clifr.
Clifr released his debut solo project in 2020, State ‘O’ Mind Feat. Lojal. It was followed by EP 593 Vol.2 in 2021. He has collaborated with Ranj in over seven songs, including four for the EP and three singles UNO, Mutual and Conversation. “Our songs express what we are feeling and going through life. So far, all our songs have been in English. I write in Tamil too,” says Ranj. To her, hip-hop is all about expressing oneself. Hip-hop has always been a sign of defiance and everyone connects with it, she shares. “When society was aggressive towards a certain community, hip-hop was aggressive. Now, Lamar’s socially conscious and Drake is in touch with his emotions. Hip-hop is always about the population expressing what it’s going through at that time. It’s a tool for social expression,” she says.
Independent artists, says Ranj, mostly make music for their family and friends. “Once you reach a certain place, you do get more money for performing. Until then, one works towards making music and collaborating. For instance, Clifr and rapper Tintin have collaborated and put out an album together.”
Originally from Chennai, Ranj is based in Bengaluru now. “There is a lot of love and support for original live music. People, even if they don’t follow you on social media, will come for your gig and those who are already in the music scene will push you,” she says, when asked about the music scene in Bengaluru. In Chennai, she says, it used to be very difficult to establish yourself as an independent musician alone. But, she adds, now a lot is changing.
Ranj X Clifr will be performing at SOCIAL, Mount Road, Chennai, on Sunday from 7pm onwards. Tickets for ₹ 399.
