“I wanted to express whatever I’d seen in complicated relationships and the complex emotions that come with them. That is what drove me to write,” says Bengaluru-based, singer-songwriter Riddhi Rao whose debut EP Spiral Theory is slotted for a July release.

Although this is her first major release, music has shaped much of Riddhi’s life. She was introduced to Carnatic music at the age of three, and she then gravitated towards Western music, eventually discovering a love for songwriting.

The turning point was meeting musician, producer, and Grammy Recording Academy member Richard Andrew Dudley. What began as a mentor-mentee dynamic gradually evolved into a creative partnership, giving Riddhi the confidence to pursue music professionally. 

Spiral Theory

Spiral Theory comprises five songs all of which are interconnected and Riddhi says she had envisioned the emotional arc of the EP even before stepping into the studio. That sense of intention is reflected in the way she speaks about the project. When asked if she had a favourite track among the five, she explains, “Choosing one would feel like separating a story that was always meant to be experienced as a whole.” 

The songs draw from deeply personal experiences and focus on the spaces between confusion, heartbreak, healing and hope. Riddhi hopes they encourage listeners to reflect on their emotions. “Teenagers and young adults often struggle to articulate what they are feeling, so if my music can become another language for those emotions, I believes they would have served their purpose.”

Growth curve

For Richard, who co-composed and produced Spiral Theory, the challenge was not shaping Riddhi’s voice but protecting it. “It would have been quite easy to drive the car,” he says with a laugh. He adds that he chose to encourage Riddhi to arrive at the answers herself while refining melodies, arrangements and aiding in production.

The process became one of experimentation as much as collaboration. Songs were rearranged, structures rewritten and ideas revisited over several months. Some came together in days while others demanded weeks of careful reworking. 

One of Riddhi’s favourite memories from the recording process came after Richard suggested adding a saxophone to ‘Nice,’ one of the tracks on the EP. She was sceptical at first, unsure if it belonged, but when the musician stepped into the studio and recorded the part, everything clicked. It became an unexpected reminder that collaboration sometimes means allowing someone else’s idea to complete your own, she says. 

Spiral Theory will be released on July 11, 2026, on all streaming platforms