Fresh off her astounding Ethnicity Awards 2024 win, British Asian superstar Saloni has been breaking boundaries both culturally and musically with her new EP, ‘Rani’. The 6-track EP showcases Saloni’s full artist and linguistic repertoire, with 5 different languages being sung by Saloni across the record. ‘Fair Share’ is a trilingual triumph with fellow artist Maharani, which offers a unique R&B-infused listening experience that transcends traditional listening experiences.
We sat down with Saloni to learn all about the EP, what inspires her writing and much, much more in this deep dive interview exclusively with LOCK. Enjoy!
Hey Saloni, welcome to LOCK! How are you doing?
I’m doing great, thank you. How are you?
‘Rani’ is a deeply personal project for you. Could you share what inspired the overall concept of the EP and why you chose ‘Rani’ as the title?
Rani in Hindi means queen which is why I chose it to be the title of this song because it’s an empowering track and sets the tone for the rest of the EP. The whole EP is about taking the reigns of your dreams, and to do that you would be the Rani of your dreams. The title track itself is a very empowering track talking about not caring what other people might say and encourages you to follow your dreams regardless. It’s also about owning the fact that you have come so far in your career and to give yourself a pat on the back. There’s a line in Hindi that says “meri duniya meine khareedi” which translates to “I bought this life for myself” saying that you’ve earned it all based off of your hard work and that’s basically the vision of the entire song. If you see the video as well, you’ll see how it’s a very royal yet edgy sort of look and about a young woman owning her dream and her achievements.
As a British Asian artist, how do you view your role in representing South Asian culture in the global music industry? How does your identity shape your music?
The reason this EP is so special is because it truly represents my identity as a British South Asian. I’ve written music before that has been purely western pop and as much as I loved that, it didn’t really represent who I truly was and so that’s why this EP is so special, because it brings both of my cultures together; the culture that I was brought up with within my family, the Indian culture, but also the culture that I was brought up with by living in the UK and so this EP brings the best of both worlds. It means a lot to me that I can represent others like myself. There are so many like me that are out there, British Asians that don’t feel like they fully belong in one or the other – they’re too Indian to be English or to English to be Indian. And I have experienced this firsthand being born and brought up here in the UK, and so this is just my attempt to represent others like myself.
The EP features songs in five different languages. What challenges did you face in creating multilingual music, and how do you think this cultural fusion resonates with listeners?
The biggest challenge is making sure I’m pronouncing it correctly and portraying the correct meaning. I try my best by checking the lyrics and pronunciations with family friends who speak the language fluently and making sure that I’m not saying anything wrong. By making such multilingual music I feel like I’m being very inclusive and just the fact that I love all these different languages of South Asia really pushes me to bring it in my original music. I’ve done covers in about 10 languages before and my long-term goal is bringing all these languages into my original songs.
‘Fair Share’ is a notable track, what inspired this song?
This song is with an artist called Maharani and she is an amazing artist that does amazing things, especially with the R&B scene and so I wanted to work with her on this song so when she said yes it was music to my ears. We’re both driven people and sometimes don’t give ourselves enough credit. And so we wanted to write a song about the fact that we are enough on our own and we don’t need another person to rely on and so this song is a bit of juxtaposition as the Tamil and Telugu lyrics talk about how you’ve been longing for this guy but in reality, which the English lyrics depict, is that we’re realising we don’t need this guy in our lives because we’re able to make it on our own, realistically we only need ourselves.
What was the writing process like with Maharani?
It was so smooth we went back-and-forth on ideas and finally arrived to this banger of a piece. You wouldn’t believe it, but it was all online through WhatsApp messages and FaceTime calls. We just bounced ideas off each other, I sent her the chorus melodies and my verse, she wrote the tamil lyrics and her verse and then she gave some of her input for my verses and yeah, just one thing lead to another.
You won Music Artist of the Year at Ethnicity Awards 2024 after competing against major names like Zayn Malik and RAYE. Congratulations! How does it feel to receive that recognition, and what does it mean for you as an artist?
It feels absolutely insane to be up against some huge names. I was so honoured to even be nominated and recognised amongst people I grew up listening to, like Zayn Malik, Raye, Jay Sean but to actually win feels surreal. I am so so so honoured and to be getting that recognition feel like a standpoint in my career as it acknowledges the kind of music I’m making amongst such legends. I truly hope that this inspired other young adults to strive for their dreams regardless of what others may say. Because this is proof that hard work pays off eventually!
And finally, how do you hope ‘Rani’ will influence the fusion of South Asian music with global mainstream sounds, and what impact do you want your music to have on the industry?
‘Rani’ the EP is all about empowerment and inspiring others to chase their dreams, no matter what anyone says. The EP takes listeners on a journey—kicking off with the powerful title track ‘Rani,’ which is about owning your dreams and recognising that you’re the queen, or ‘Rani,’ of your own journey. But as the EP unfolds, it also reveals a lot of vulnerability. For example, after ‘Rani’ comes ‘Legacy,’ which reflects on starting from the ground up and thinking about the legacy you want to leave behind—what you hope to be remembered for. ‘Fade Away’ is about persevering, even when it feels challenging. It’s a reminder to keep going and stay connected to what you love, no matter how long the journey takes. ‘Fair Share’ speaks to independence. It’s about realising that sometimes, the problem isn’t you, but rather external factors, and learning to put yourself first. Then, ‘It’s Alright’ is a letter to my younger self, telling that little girl who was doubted for her unconventional dreams that it’s all going to work out. Lastly, ‘Chali Mein’ is a song of solidarity and women empowerment.
It’s about the strength we find in supporting each other, especially other women, because together we’re so much stronger. This whole EP represents a journey, especially as a South Asian artist who doesn’t often see herself represented in mainstream music. Through genres like R&B, Hip-Hop, and Pop, I hope to show that music transcends language. It’s about how it makes you feel. When you connect to the lyrics and the emotions, you’ll see that music truly has no boundaries. Ultimately, I want to prove that music isn’t limited to a single genre or culture. It’s not just Eastern or Western; it can be both. We’re all part of a global sound, and I hope ‘Rani’ brings that to life.
Don’t forget to stream ‘Rani’ now: