ShiShi — A Conversation on Indigo, Meditation, and the Journey Home

It’s a small detail, but it changes everything — the new album by Indian-born artist ShiShi is tuned entirely to 432 Hz, a frequency often associated with balance, clarity, and a natural sense of flow. In musical terms, it means the central “A” note is tuned slightly lower than the modern standard of 440 Hz, creating a warmer, rounder sound that many musicians feel resonates more organically with the human ear. Some describe it as more open and breathing, less sharp — a tuning that invites stillness without losing intensity.

With Indigo, the New York–based musician and meditation practitioner leads us into a space where opposites meet: guitars crash against tablas, distorted riffs dissolve into mantras. The result is a sound that is both grounding and explosive — raw yet transcendent, urgent yet still.

Born to Indian parents and raised across China, Switzerland, and the U.S., ShiShi has always lived between worlds. Indigo feels like his bridge — not just between East and West, but between the noise of the outside and the quiet clarity within. “Playing live doesn’t feel like a performance — it feels like allowing myself to be witnessed,” he says. And Indigo becomes exactly that: an invitation to presence, vulnerability, and self-recognition.

In our interview, we talk about the sound of stillness, the fierce energy of KALI, and how ShiShi continues to build bridges — between cultures, consciousness, and the frequencies that move us.

photography by Gokul Madathil

Congratulations on your new album! Indigo is such an unexpected fusion of many genres — tablas meet distortion, mantras meet rock riffs. Do you think listeners will immediately appreciate it, or will it take them on a journey they didn’t expect?

I think a bit of both. The album is presented in an accessible format. It’s a rock-electronic blend; not too avant-garde, so it’s easy to get into. But it will also take listeners on a journey they didn’t expect. It’s the kind of album where you discover new things with each listen, like watching a favorite movie multiple times and noticing new details.

You describe Indigo as both “urgent” and about “stillness.” How do you balance these opposite forces?

I wouldn’t call it urgent, but it’s definitely energetic and lively, which is fitting for a rock album. Underneath, the foundation is stillness representing the ancient Vedic Shiva–Shakti duality. Shakti is the feminine, limitless energy; Shiva is the stillness and peace underlying all. That duality is what the music expresses — and ultimately, those forces are one.

Every track is tuned to 432 Hz, a frequency linked to focus and healing. Do you remember the first time you experienced sound as vibration and energy, not just music?

It’s impossible not to experience music vibrationally; that’s fundamentally what it is. We listen at both conceptual and vibrational levels. As a child, dancing to Michael Jackson, I felt the rhythm deeply without understanding the lyrics, moved by the vibration itself.

“It’s the kind of album where you discover new things with each listen — like watching a favorite movie multiple times and noticing new details.”

You’ve said you never had the luxury of one clear identity, growing up across China, Switzerland, and the U.S. with deep Indian roots. When do you feel most at home?

That longing for belonging motivated my spiritual journey. I feel most at home when connecting to the underlying field of being. For me, that’s deeper than culture or place, and accessible through meditation.

What connects you most deeply to India?

The Vedic wisdom. The spiritual practices originating there that have transformed my life. They transcend culture, which is what I love about India. That openness is reflected in its culture.

The track “KALI” channels fierce feminine power. What did connecting to that energy bring out in you while making the song?

Kali is fierce and powerful. The song expresses my desire to fully express myself and not be ignored. It’s a prayer asking Kali to possess me with her energy.

What is the most important song on the album for you and why?

“Krishna’s Theme” is like a microcosm of the whole album. It starts from feeling lost and alone, which I related to for much of my life, and evolves into a union with Krishna’s consciousness, representing awakening and coming home to oneself.

“People say I seem natural on stage, but I carry that shy child with me, holding his hand.”

Performing music born from meditation and shadow work must feel very different from DJing a club set. Does live playing feel more like a ceremony than a performance?

Definitely. I don’t really like the term “performance.” It feels more like allowing myself to be witnessed. Playing live with a band is much more intentional than DJing. At our New York Indigo album release show, it truly felt like a ceremony — in contrast to the party energy of club gigs.

You describe yourself as a shy, introverted kid who found safety in solitude. Do you still recognize that child on stage?

Yes. People say I seem natural on stage, but I carry that shy child with me, holding his hand. The adult me reassures him from moment to moment that it’s safe to be seen and express myself. It’s a fun and powerful process, and I think people connect with that authenticity because it gives them permission to do the same.

Finally, what is the most important thing in life for you?

Waking up to my true nature — the grounding of being that includes everything. That’s how I think we transcend suffering altogether.