Photography Cody Cloud
Baggy pants paired with playful tops, larger than life curls braided and tied up with a bright red scrunchie, chunky metallic bangles shimmering on her left arm and a bold septum piercing; Gayathri Krishnan’s style is hard to miss. A deep dive into her life and music reveals Gayathri as one of the most sincere musicians from the current new lot. As a kid, she woke before the sun to the soft hum of her mother chanting the Skandhasashtikavasam (a Tamil prayer on Lord Muruga) before she started her day and got ready for school. ‘After I came back from school, my dad would sit with me at the keyboard to review my lessons from keyboard and singing class.’ Even attempts at afternoon naps were underscored by her brother belting out Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. Music was in and around her. Impromptu jam sessions during her visits home, car rides or sharing music on FaceTime with her dad. ‘Life is in constant change and music is the thread that binds everything together for me.’
With training in Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam, her art reflects a blend of heritage and culture, showing how she has wholeheartedly embraced all the beautiful experiences life has given her. ‘In middle school, I was in choir and played viola. I spent my school years involved in musicals, the acappella team and dance groups. Now, I take hip hop, Bharatanatyam and heels classes. Each of these creative outlets inspires me.’
Gayathri caught our attention with her debut EP, Create to Express, which amassed six million streams; no small feat for a young musician. She followed this up with Peace of Mind, which has just three songs, yet each is powerful enough to illumine her evolving talent. These tracks guide listeners through a journey of reflection, growth and rebirth. The only music video out yet is set simply, featuring Gayathri in her signature style, passionately singing with a hanging microphone. Still, her groovy blend of classical and R&B will have you turning up the volume. Gayathri is currently based in Los Angeles, recording music from her makeshift home studio, creating ripples across the seas and reaching us. She talks to us about her journey, inspirations and the future.
Peace of Mind
I had found a bookmark that my mother had written on. She wrote the words ‘Love, Heal, Arise’. These words stuck with me and I feel are a recurrent cycle throughout my life and I love something or someone, heal and grow from that love and then arise/take away the lessons I’ve learnt through the process of loving. Peace of Mind reflects those themes through the song-writing. YDKB You Didn’t Know Better speaks on loving the self through accountability and grace, Peace of Mind speaks on healing inner wounds and Made It speaks on arising through perseverance and grit. The whole project was originally thought to have the title Love, Heal, Arise but I went with Peace of Mind. It’s so cool how something as simple as a bookmark could inspire a whole project.
Musical Narratives
A common theme that threads all my music together is my liking to be introspective about myself. Since I was a little kid, I’ve been very reflective on how I’ve changed throughout the years and song-writing gives me a space to explore those feelings. Writing through this lens helps me evolve as a person and look back on my growth. My music is a reminder that change happens in your soul and reflects out into the world.
Inspirations
During the creative process, I try to soak in as much around me to fuel my inspiration. I like spending time in nature, going to concerts, museums, parks, having conversations with loved ones and also trying different hobbies. Creating a song that I love is an adventure for me. Every song that doesn’t pan out leads me to songs I love. It’s all about trying again and again, experimenting, going back to the drawing board and eventually when I least expect it, I’ll have a demo that I keep playing back.
This article is from Platform’s November 2025 Bookazine. For more such stories, purchase your copy here.
Words Hansika Lohani
Date 28.2.2026