Los Angeles-based Hip-Hop artist KUNAL is a burgeoning force on the horizon. Born Kunal Singh Nischal and raised in New York, New Jersey, and London, KUNAL’s sonic style is inspired by an eclectic variety of sounds both familiar and fresh, ranging from artists such as Eminem and Kanye West, all the way to Nusrat Fateh, Ali Khan and Bob Marley.
The result is a dynamic, wide-ranging sound centered on rhythm and lyricism that exudes a unique identity with uninhibited creativity reflective of his human experience.
The enticing soundscape of his most recent single “BETTER PLANS,” has us immersed in the heavy-hitting resonance of weighty basslines and melodic samples. Taking us into an amplified universe that sends shockwaves through the realm of Hip-hop bangers, KUNAL’s focus in this record lies in lyrics with a message and extensive rhyme schemes.
There are various layers that we get to tap into as we digest the upbeat liveliness of “BETTER PLANS.” The hunger that is locked into the fortified projection of KUNAL’s vocal performance allows us to fixate upon his influential power in commanding an audience through whichever sound system they’re listening to him on. His intricately crafted lyrics leave little to the imagination as they tell all in a way that has KUNAL embodying traits of old school Hip-hop, all while thriving in the new era of the genre.
It’s hard not to be captured by the immediate presence that KUNAL weaves into his musical creations as he reiterates bars like, ‘When I look upon the world I see the hypocrisy in many different places. I’m too focused on the grind to ever think I might embrace it.’ With slick cadences and his knack to effortlessly flow slant rhymes into his verses, there’s a reason why KUNAL is making the noise that he is. Check him out for yourself to see what all the hype is about.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, KUNAL. The energy in “BETTER PLANS,” is so hypnotic. What inspired you to create this song?
I appreciate the invite & kind words, thank you for having me! Aside from contemplating personal life decisions & changes in real-time & witnessing everything going on in the world -
I was reading different spiritual texts, studying different periods of history, learning about different cultures & schools of thought. All while, experimenting with different sounds & matching them with different sentiments they would evoke. Throughout that entire process, I was drawing many parallels between all of the above & my own experiences. Tangibly speaking, the inspiration truly started with the sonic design & the multiple sounds I explored. After spending time with personal sentiments, the sound came together at once. Once that was all laid down – It enabled me to write from a space that was candid, and I could express my thoughts & emotions unapologetically.
In your own words, what does “BETTER PLANS,” mean to you? What are you hoping that your audience can take away from it?
Aside from my own affirmations to myself, regarding staying true to my beliefs, I hope my audience can be reminded to stick to their own Better Plans. I think our better plans collectively & individually can be a challenge to live by and or achieve - so I would like to remind them as well as myself to ‘Ride steady on the higher road, but remember to keep it moving, I think we become our own worst enemies when we stop & try to make sense of everything around that contradicts our higher purpose & vision. It’s easy to get caught in all the noise & stop.’ I am all about reflecting on thoughts any chance I get, but sometimes we have to keep it moving too Especially when taking the higher road. There’s a true sense of liberation when we own our convictions with sincerity.
Comparing this single to your previous bodies of work, was the creative process similar or different to the one that you usually embark on? Could you please go into detail on what that looked like?
Initially, I feel like this process started out similarly to my other bodies of work but inevitably was created from a completely different space & process, which was fun artistically. It put me in a situation to explore avenues of my own craft & push my own boundaries. Typically, aside from having a rough idea of tempos & cadences, I put more emphasis on writing the song & seeing to the production as I go along, then focusing on the intricacies of the sonics. With ‘BETTER PLANS’’ from the jump, I felt like I kept writing myself to the ground, and I was branching off into so many different places. Especially since I approached it from such raw emotion. So, I ended up flipping the process. I doubled down on the sound & really honed in on which thoughts/emotions each piece would evoke out of me & then it all came together at once. I definitely had a ‘eureka’ moment & ran with that energy! This one project also ended up spawning multiple ideas, which was a cool experience.
What is your mission statement as an artist? How do you ensure to carry that with you through every song?
I want to celebrate the nuances that live in between the dichotomies of life & the human experience as I reflect on my very own. I hope my music & each project or initiative I take part in serve as my mission statement. I love any opportunity to add context, but I truly hope my actions speak louder than anything. We can make ourselves & our world better by looking internally, healing, and shining light on all of life’s different experiences. One of my favorite quotes is by the renowned mystic, Rumi. ‘Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.’ To put it simply, I want my daily missions & actions to serve as my statement. I hope all of it can initiate inner reflection, progress & acceptance.
