Anchal Sethi /
Becoming Zoya: India, America & Pop’s New Voice
It’s midday in Sydney when Zoya Mohan appears on my screen, greeting me with a welcoming smile. On a Sunday evening, the sunlight pours in from the window behind her, she joins me from her brother’s house, having generously carved out time on a rare day off for our interview. Zoya is warm and personable, sitting cross-legged on a divan in a furry leopard print jacket, ready to talk about her evolution as an artist and her upcoming album, ‘The Human Era is Over (The I/O)’. Our conversation, scheduled for an hour, spills into two, as she impassionedly and articulately answers my many questions. A skilled conversationalist, she tells me I am “catching her at a very interesting time”, after returning from her first trip back to India since moving to Los Angeles, to now gearing up for the release of the first single from ‘The I/O’, only a month away.
‘The Human Era Is Over’
India-born and California-based Zoya Mohan is a pop artist and singer-songwriter. 2025 has been a momentous year for her. Since April of this year, Zoya has been keeping fans intrigued and engaged by gradually bringing them into the world she has built in her upcoming record, ‘The Human Era Is Over (The I/O)’. Releasing one song at a time, every three weeks, Zoya’s Instagram has become populated with striking, eye-catching visuals. In one reel, she is standing on the side of a promenade holding up a sign that reads, “If everyone is an artist, does anyone know what art is?”. In another video, she is expressing her skepticism of online dating and her affirmation for real-world connections and happenstance. Rejecting algorithm driven romance where soulmates are supposedly ‘a swipe away’, she playfully pours these sentiments into “Love On a Machine”.
“We are all connected. But are we connecting? If everyone is an artist, is there any value to being an artist anymore? When Tik Tokkers are becoming popstars, is there any value to saying something? Does what I have to say even matter anymore in a world where we have millions of voices saying something at the same time, all the time, every second of the day?”
These pressing questions and concerns about the existential nature of what technology is doing to love and art were brewing inside her for almost two years – a period of silence, before she wove them into the record, ‘The I/O’. “‘The I/O’ is definitely my extension of the thought that if we lose love and art, that to me is the end of humanity. ‘The Human Era is Over’ is the question. And if it is, what are we going to do?”
What is the Human Era is Over (video link)
The record includes the recently released ‘Twenty-Nine’ – a stripped back contemplation that voices some of the fears that contributed to the two year period of silence in the lines,
“What if this is all over when I’m thirty
What if this is the end of the whole ride
And everything was experience that I never needed
Cause the right things never happened at the right time?”
In grappling with the lingering fears and doubts that plagued her, she came to understand, “Somehow you choose to either pick up the tools, take self-responsibility of your life, figure out what makes you happy without any external world and figure, and figure out what your relationship is with your internal one. Once you do that, you’re looking at the external world from a different space completely.”
To write this record, Zoya took a leap of faith. Without any label backing, she proceeded to create it compelled solely by the power of the ideas stirring inside her. “I knew I needed to get these ideas out of my system because that’s naturally what I’ve always done and these thoughts were starting to get suffocating.”
Creating the Album
Gathering in a house in Palm Springs, California, she collaborated with her dearest friends – Aida Frantzen, Arya Gaston, Austin Sexton, David Bone and Nick Smith – and wrote ‘The I/O’ in just five days. It was then that she realised that the previous two years of silence were actually an incubation period of collecting the pieces of the puzzle that would go on to become, ‘The I/O’. “I didn’t even know that over those two years I was collecting elements of what this was! I had no idea!” she exclaims. “The album title, for example, ‘The Human Era is Over’ – that was capitalised on a blank page in my journal for a year and a half!” Being at Palm Springs in the highly-charged, intensive environment for five days, was the breeding ground for creative sparks. Working with multiple producers stationed in different rooms, she hit the ground running.
Zoya was deliberate about “creating something intentionally” but describes the entire five days as an “accident” where they got out “out of their own way” and “got things down”. She attributes the end result entirely to “happy accidents” and “little moments of creativity”. “I didn’t even know actually after we were done. It just happened! It was really amazing to be with all the songwriters and producers I was with to write this one because they helped me figure it all out for myself,” she says.
Coming of Age
After listening to “The I/O”, her inner circle is echoing the feedback that this is the “most Zoya” her work has ever been. Arriving at this point of honesty and authenticity mirrored in her artistry comes on the heels of a decade of trials, tribulations, and journeying back and forth from Boston, to Mumbai and then onto Los Angeles. Having spent four years in Mumbai after her time at the Berklee College of Music, Zoya built a thriving career in India that saw her grace the pages of leading magazines like Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue India, and Rolling Stone India, and perform at some of India’s largest festivals like NH7 Weekender. Reflecting on her time in the country, she says, “Away from solidifying a sense of self, India teaches everybody something. I really learned how to flow in the chaos and that was the biggest lesson I’ve learned in life. That has helped me figure out a lot of things that have happened ever since.” Her return to India after years away is confirmed at the time of writing, with her impending performance at Lollapalooza, Mumbai being announced for late January, 2026. She highlights the significance of the performance over an email, saying, “This is more than a show for me – it’s a homecoming. Coming back to Mumbai after seven years and stepping onto the Lollapalooza stage with the pop show I’ve been building towards all these years feels like the moment I’ve been waiting for.”
Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt (visualiser)
Growing up Indian in California, questions of identity and cultural hybridity were woven into Zoya’s life from early on – reflected in her evolving sound over the years. Behind each album, each sonic shift, and each sojourn was a girl searching for her place in the world. In Berklee, she did so by leaning into what made her unique – her Indianness. It was when she arrived in India, that she realised that the tables had turned and she was now the American girl. This was a turning point because she realised her true passion and true self lied in the sounds of pop music, prompting her return to California. “This was what I wanted even as a kid, being six-years old on my parents staircase belting out Britney Spears. That’s where this originally started so it was like a full circle thing,” she recalls fondly.
But for years, her dreams hit a glass ceiling due to the lack of South Asian representation in pop culture. “Growing up in Orange County, I never thought a girl who looked like me could be anything in pop culture let alone be a popstar because there were no examples of that.” A judicious risk-taker, she gathered her will and aimed it in a new direction with this realisation by deciding to fight for South Asian representation in pop culture. “In the end, it turned out that the thing I thought I couldn’t do became the thing that I am fighting for because I want us Indian girls to have versions of us out there in pop culture in all types of fields. It took me growing up as the Indian girl in America and the American girl in India to really lean in who I am.”
In a world designed to neatly categorise us into pre-existing black and white boxes, Zoya decided to dance in the wilderness by creating her own box and choosing the path of authenticity. Walking the road less trodden came with its own set of hurdles. “The choice to chase after something like this comes with a lot of politics. There have been so many Indian executives in India to white executives in America telling me I need to be ‘more Indian’ to market to Indians. I felt really boxed in by the stereotype and didn’t want to use it as a gimmick,” she recalls. Without using “the culture card” to propel her forward, her playing field widened and her job became infinitely harder because she had to compete globally with her art. It is almost as if she needed to play the game in the same way as her white counterparts to prove her mettle and make her mark as an Indian girl. To hone her craft and prepare to play on the global stage, Zoya was developed by the team of producers from ‘A Star is Born’ including Mark Nilan Jr.
The Songwriting Learning Curve
Working with Mark and his team was a rigorous yet rewarding process. Being pushed to her limits during this time, one of her key takeaways was the fine skill of rewriting a song. “Mark really understood and sat me down in the same place where Gaga wrote ‘Born this Way’ and said she was rewriting ‘Born this Way’ for four years to make it perfect. He said that what you’re trying to say can be said simpler, or this is too complicated, or that’s not conversational enough… And I would get frustrated and it was really intense.” Through the process of writing ‘Bad Girls Dream’, she learned to walk the tightrope of pop songwriting and rewriting. “It’s a muscle in my head now. I’m rewriting while we’re writing. I’m already simplifying, fixing, moving, and doing things to be effective and make it stronger on the first listen,” she explains.
Zoya likens her experience of songwriting, in this period, to a sport, where she had the impeccable ability to walk into a session with unknown producers, create an imaginary situation, and write a song around it. This process sharpened her craft and brought her closer to her artistic voice with the realisation that in her own body of work, she wanted to be led by the message she wanted to impart. “I think it all depends on what kind of artist you want to be. I grew up in a world where I looked up to songwriters who said something and that touched me. I want to be that kind of songwriter.”
When writing “The I/O”, the question “what am I saying?” took central stage and became her compass through the formidable undertaking of creating a record. In 2025, the creation of the record, she tells me, is only half of the job in the life of an independent pop artist. The “marathon sprint”, as she calls it, is the marketing, distribution and release process which involves “building a world and figuring out how you want to get this message across.” For her, embarking on this latter half of the journey means being hands-on with every part of the process – from editing her own photos for the very first time, to styling. Her involvement has grown as she has grown into a woman who believes that she is, in fact, good enough, and can trust her own self– less swayed by the noise surrounding her and tuned in to instinct. “I’m at this really interesting point of trusting my own taste. I believe in my own taste.”
Reflections
Questioned about what advice she would impart to her younger self knowing what she knows today, she is unsure about whether or not she would tell her anything at all. A believer in things unfolding the way they are supposed to, she says, “I just want to let her live and figure it out because all of those things gave me the backbone I have now to live off of these curtains in the wind.” On second thought, she adds, “What I will say is I wish I valued myself, my body, my time, and my energy, more, earlier. I would tell her to not go through phases of devaluing that. That has been such a big shift in my experiences as an artist but also, in my experiences as a woman in the world.”
Free (visualiser)
Carrying these reflections into the creation of “The I/O”, she concludes, “I think that the biggest thing in the last three years has been that I’m very aware of the waves of life now. Everything in life has been big waves and then the float – it’s about learning to ride the wave and enjoy it, while remembering that still water is always just around the corner. So I just try to be present. Everyday I am pulling the thread and trying to be mindful of what’s happening in front of me right now. And little by little, this whole thing, “The I/O” gets built!”
Read More
Anchal Sethi /
Spotlight on GMI Artists Featured on Merchant Records
We’re excited to partner with Global Music Institute to give their artists a space to share their original music. GMI has built a strong community of musicians and educators who are shaping the next generation of artists, and we want to help bring their creativity to a wider audience. This collaboration is about more than just exposure—it’s about giving emerging artists the right platform to take their music beyond the classroom and into the industry.
About Merchant Records
Merchant Records is built on a simple vision—to create a space where artists can thrive and their music can reach the world. Our mission is to support both emerging and established musicians by providing them with the right resources, guidance, and platform to grow.
We focus on more than just releasing music. From refining an artist’s sound to ensuring their work reaches the right audience, we take a hands-on approach to every step of the process. Whether it’s production, distribution, marketing, or creative direction, we work closely with artists to bring their vision to life while helping them navigate the industry.
At the core of what we do is a belief in artistic integrity and long-term growth. We’re not just about putting out songs—we’re about building careers, fostering creativity, and making sure every artist has the opportunity to leave a lasting impact.
Meet the Founders
Founded with the vision of nurturing talent, Merchant Records is backed by Salim–Sulaiman, one of India’s most celebrated composer duos. Their decades of experience in shaping the music industry and mentoring artists laid the foundation for the label’s artist-first approach. Leading the label is Shivansh Jindal, a singer-songwriter and entrepreneur (ex-Bain Private Equity) who blends his creative instincts with a sharp business mindset, ensuring that artists get the right platform to grow.
Featured GMI Artists
Anirudh Varma
A contemporary pianist, composer, producer, and performance studies scholar based in New Delhi, Anirudh is the creative force behind The Anirudh Varma Collective, a collaborative ensemble that reimagines Indian classical music through diversity and inclusion. His repertoire uniquely blends Indian Classical, Western Classical, and Contemporary Music.
Anirudh’s discography includes his debut EP Melancholic Rhapsody (2016), the critically acclaimed albums Perspectives (2018), Homecoming (2022), which featured over 150 artists from India, the USA, and Canada, and his latest release, Sabr (2025). He has performed at prestigious events like the Jaipur Literature Festival, Mahindra Kabira Festival, and HCL Concerts.
His projects include composing for the Conference of the Birds (a global participatory art project with Yuva Ekta Foundation and British Council) and creating the background score for the Birsa Munda Museum (Government of Jharkhand). Anirudh’s innovative work has also attracted academic research from institutions like UCLA and Sri Lanka’s University of the Visual & Performing Arts.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=uOFWKSViC2w%3Fsi%3DSI8CuQsLguLyG4U3
Ujwal Nagar
A Hindustani classical vocalist based in Delhi, Ujwal began his musical journey under the guidance of his mother, Guru Urmila Nagar, and later received intensive training from Lt. Ustad Bashir Ahmad Khan of Sikar. He continues to learn from Pandit Sriram Umdekar and Pandit Somnath Mardur, further enriching his craft.
An All India Radio Graded Artist and recipient of the Central Government Scholarship for Hindustani classical music, Ujwal holds a Doctorate in the field and has performed at prestigious events like the HCL Concert Series, Jaipur Literature Festival, and Subah-e-Banaras.
In addition to his solo performances, Ujwal’s collaborative work shines on renowned platforms such as MTV Coke Studio and MTV Unplugged. His ongoing work with the group, Advaita, has garnered acclaim from classical and world music enthusiasts alike.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=yaHbrqmRh4w%3Fsi%3DAj29316eUYHPC-ea
“It has been an absolute pleasure collaborating with incredibly talented artists like Anirudh Varma and Ujwal Nagar, whose deep-rooted artistry beautifully bridges tradition and contemporary expression. Through Merchant Records, we’ve had the opportunity to showcase their unique musical journeys, Anirudh’s innovative fusion of Indian and Western classical influences and Ujwal’s soulful renditions that push the boundaries of Hindustani classical music. Their passion and dedication to their craft continue to inspire, and we look forward to supporting more such boundary-defying music.”
— Salim-Sulaiman
Shruti Mishra (Songwriting Summer Camp Alum)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=osMrjjQ4anE%3Fsi%3DsUhq-0uXR-uAnftO
CEO’s Insights
Working with GMI artists has been an inspiring experience. Each collaboration brings a fresh perspective, blending raw talent with a deep understanding of music. What makes this partnership special is the creative synergy—GMI nurtures musicians who are not just technically skilled but also have a unique artistic voice. At Merchant Records, we focus on amplifying that voice, ensuring that their original music gets the recognition it deserves.
The creative process has been organic, with every artist bringing something distinct to the table. Whether it’s refining a song’s production, exploring new sounds, or shaping a release strategy, it’s been incredible to see their growth from students to professionals.
At the heart of every meaningful music release is a story worth hearing, and collaborations like this one between GMI and Merchant Records make sure those stories don’t go untold. By creating a bridge between learning and industry, this partnership empowers artists to take their first real steps into the professional world with intention, integrity, and support.
Whether it’s faculty members with years of experience, or a summer camp alum finding their sound, these artists represent the evolving face of independent music in India. Their work reflects both deep-rooted traditions and new creative frontiers, and we’re proud to see them thrive on a platform that understands and uplifts that balance.
So if you haven’t already, take a moment to explore the tracks by Anirudh Varma, Ujwal Nagar, and Shruti Mishra. Follow them on their journeys, share their music, and keep your ears open—because this is just the beginning.
Read More