Bartika Eam Rai Back With Stellar Fourth Album

By Mannu Shahi

Bartika Eam Rai is a US-based Nepali indie-folk/ art-pop musician and a leading figure of the modern Nepali music industry. Her poetry-like lyrics and luscious vocal timbre has charmed a wide range of followers who dearly adore and brace her artistry. Her discography includes two full-length albums and one EP: a six-track Bimbaakash (2016), an eight-track Taral (2018) and a five-track Si/Ma- [Na] (2019). 

Born on April 26, 1991, in Lalitpur, Bartika got fascinated with music at the tender age of six. Her interests further blossomed with opportunities she received around the age of 11, like performances in family gatherings and school events, and with recording of a few children's songs. 

The singer later went on to refine her innate skills with mentors such as Gurudev Kaamat, Shreeti Pradhan, Upendra Lal Singh, Roshan Sharma, and John Shrestha. 

However, it was after her departure to the US in 2015 that things started falling in place, as she got a chance to meet and collaborate with musician and producer Diwas Gurung. Already a full-time musician in the New York music scene, Diwas with his musical wisdom, further enhanced the stunningly crafted pieces by Bartika, and together they shaped this exclusive sonic palette that many Nepalis youths turn to as their medium of escaping from the rest of the world. 

With accolades like the Hits FM Music Award: Song of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance 2018 for the track ‘Khai’, and Song of the Year 2019 for the track ‘Aasha II’. The singer is one of a handful of  musicians who can lure in similar, if not larger, reception during her live events as on  digital platforms. 

And Bartika is back again with her fourth studio album “Aandhii, Ityaadi” comprising eleven tracks releasing each week on Friday starting from January 19 to March 22. Two tracks from the album have already been published: ‘Sochchau K Mero Bare?’ which is currently trending on 24 as per the Nepal moderated YouTube charts and ‘K Hunthyo Hola Hami Sangai Bhayeko Bhaye?’ the latest release. 

The arrangement and sound engineering duties on the album are handled by Diwas Gurung, while the accompanying lyrics videos are compiled by Katha Haru. Furthermore, four songs in the album feature viola by Kyle Armbrust, two songs feature drums by Anmol Mohra and the album art is fabricated by Sahanshil Dangol. 

The songstress organised a series of pre-release shows promoting the album from October 2023 until very recently, in cities across the globe such as London, San Francisco, Charlotte, Dallas, Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Pokhara. These intimate performances exhibited the songs in their most stripped-down raw versions with the singer taking the stage solo having only her melodies, words, acoustic guitar and keyboard on her arsenal.

Both the songs seem a very promising inception for the forthcoming collection. I personally gravitate more towards the first track, ‘Sochchau K Mero Bare?’ for its melancholic indie-rock euphony. The song deals with feelings of nostalgia, questions regarding one’s insecurities or curiosities, hence, connecting with everyone for its vulnerability. Eagerly looking forward to more tasteful releases from the album. Definitely, a recommended listen for enthusiasts looking to unravel exciting Nepali music.