Ditty’s new album explores gender and identity

Ditty’s music is more than just sound for her listeners — it’s an experience. It carries the sounds of the rustling of leaves, the distant hum of the city, and the soft calls of birds. It tells stories of migration, self-discovery, and the search for belonging. Her new album, ‘Kali’, is deeply personal, touching on themes of identity, gender, spirituality, and home.

“Our tongues were taken away from us,” says the Berlin-based Indian artiste, recalling how she grew up feeling disconnected from her own language and culture. She is originally from Delhi.

For her, it is not just an album — it’s a way of reclaiming what was lost and therefore she introduced bilingual songs to not just pay tribute to her roots but also reconnect to what was lost in her childhood. Ditty’s music is a blend of acoustic folk with atmospheric sounds. “I like to let the sounds breathe,” she says. “I want my music to feel alive.”

She often records outdoors, allowing nature to become part of her songs. “We shot ‘Money’ and ‘Azadi’, both from ‘Kali’, outdoors. I wanted to bring in the sounds of the forest, birds, and animals to match the emotion of the song,” she explains.

Her songs balance structured melodies with free-flowing natural sounds, making them feel intimate and immersive.

At its core, ‘Kali’ is indie pop, but it weaves in folk, jazz, and Indian classical influences. The way Ditty structures her music reflects the emotions she wants to convey. She often plays with uneven beats and unexpected pauses, making her music feel like a conversation rather than a rigid structure. Her tunes borrow from Indian ragas, giving them a meditative, flowing quality. She likes using chords that don’t immediately resolve, leaving listeners in a space of reflection, just like the themes of her songs.

Each track on ‘Kali’ tells a deeply personal yet universally resonant story. ‘Money’ mourns the loss of forests, its minor chords reinforcing a sense of helplessness. It is built around a sombre melody.

‘Home in my skin’ is a song of self-acceptance. Its warm harmonies and gentle strumming evoke comfort and healing. 

The album’s title draws from the Hindu goddess Kali, a symbol of both destruction and rebirth. “She represents the power within us to transform,” Ditty says. “Change can be painful, but it’s necessary.” The album was shaped by life-changing experiences — moving to a new country, getting married, living through a pandemic, and facing a life-threatening illness. “These moments made me reflect on everything,” she says. “They helped me see the bigger picture.”