The Bard said the timeless line “To thine own self be true.” Singer and composer Pushpita Misra agrees. Very few dare to be true to themselves, but the lucky ones who do have that courage find that they are artists with a lot of feelings. Pushpita is one such artist who paints her emotions on a canvas of expression.
A multifaceted musician from Kolkata, Pushpita has carved her independent path in Mumbai, exploring a variety of genres in her music rather than sticking to just one.
Pushpita Misra in conversation with SheThePeople
Pushpita’s latest song, “Raazdari,” which she released on February 3, 2026, is all about the thrill a sense of secrecy holds for us, whereas her last song, “Teri Baaton Mein”, is about the love we feel for a romantic partner. Her very first composition, “Nami”- which means “tears” in Urdu- is about heartbreak.
“I make my music based on personal experiences, and I love to tell stories through them,” said Pushpita when asked about what she hopes to convey through her music.
“I continually experiment with genres, and I like surprising myself. I also explore different emotions in my songs- my first two songs were sad, but later I challenged myself and made happy songs too. I don’t like to make songs that are too happy, however, because I think they also need to be real- I want people to feel real emotions when they hear my songs.”
Indeed, one does feel the plethora of emotions that are present in Pushpita’s songs. The butterflies in our stomach from a first love are vibrant in “O Mahiya,” as is the feeling of magical romance present in “Teri Baaton Mein.”
“Jaane Do Na” leaves one with a heart-wrenching sense of letting go, and the grief in “Nami” is palpable and deeply relatable to one who has been heartbroken.
Zaruri,” in a similar fashion, is the unpretentious representation of love- a complete surrender- whereas “Raazdari” is a happier melody full of excitement and passion. Her versatility has decreed that her music is free-flowing and does not fit into a neat, boxed category.
Background & Influences
An alumna of KM Music Conservatory in Chennai, Pushpita learned Western Classical and Hindustani Classical music from the institution, and with the knowledge she garnered, has been making music. Artists know they have art in them even before they start creating art- like Pushpita says about her music, “My body, my mind, my soul- everything has always known that I am a musician.”
Of course, being Bengali, her first exposure to music was Rabindrasangeet, which was inspirational for her. Pushpita believes we can find inspiration from anything around us, and that there is musicality in everything, even in the most unexpected places.
“We can find music even in pindrop silence, if we listen.” -Pushpita Misra
She also finds inspiration through movies, through the ardour, passion, despondency, or hope that she sees in them. While being an independent artist in Mumbai is not easy, one important thing that the city teaches you is “to be strong,” says Pushpita.
“Sometimes, even if you are having a difficult day, you just have to get through the feeling, and feel whatever you are feeling fully. It is not possible to always stay either positive or negative- all feelings are transient,” she notes.
Mental Health & Staying True To Self
Talking about mental health, Pushpita talked about the anxiety she holds in daily life and how it shapes her music. “Anxiety can be both positive and obstructive; however, it is a part of life- life that is supposed to be messy, and full of drama- and I have just learned to work with it,” she said. “I think when you want something, you just surrender to God, just the way you surrender to your art.”
Pushpita’s next song is going to be based on a specific thought she had, and while she did not reveal much about it, one can conjecture that it is bound to be another surprise from her experimental spirit.
When asked about what advice she would like to leave budding musicians with, she expressed, “I’m a free spirit who does not like limitations and restrictions, and I would suggest that we all listen to our intuition. When we are young, we tend to seek mentors, but the person we can trust most is ourselves.” Indeed, to be an artist is to be free to express, and Pushpita’s heartfelt music is all about expression.
Authored by Ipsita Misra, student of MLitt Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow. | Views expressed are the author’s own.
