​Anjali Manoharan's 'Curls' Is The Jazz-Pop Confessional We Didn't Know We Needed.

Stop scrolling. This is the soundtrack to your self-love journey. Anjali Manoharan has just released her latest single, 'Curls' (released September 5th), a beautiful blend of Jazz Waltz, Acoustic, and Indie Pop that is as intimate as it is meticulously crafted. The track began, she tells us, with a simple, personal moment: “I guess one day I just looked at my hair and appreciating my hair made me write a song in 30 minutes.” That moment of self-appreciation gave birth to her most personal song yet, completely redefining what self-love truly means to her.

​Anjali's journey is defined by one word: "Driven." Though she's been working as an independent artist and music educator since pursuing music full-time at the Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music in 2022, the dream started when she was just 16, juggling her passion while majoring in biotech. For 'Curls,' that commitment meant perfection. She spent two months in the recording process at Sound Tech Media in Mylapore, ensuring every instrument was precisely where it needed to be. She credits her producer and composer Sanjai Shine for helping shape the composition and getting the "best out of the song," and mixer Sajin Stanely for the track's lovely final sound. The seamless teamwork was no accident—Sanjai and Sajin had already worked together, and the connection was cemented by Thomas from Chennai’s beloved House of T open mic sessions.

​The heart of the song is pure, honest artistry, but a fun detail from her initial writing process gave the track its unique emotional edge. The very first person Anjali showed the song to was her flatmate, who suggested the final chord should be dissonant. It was, Anjali says, "a great idea," adding a touch of complexity and unresolved beauty to the ending. The inspiration for this genre-fluid sound comes from a broad palette of artists, including Meera Desai and Lianne La Havas, but her favorite instrument remains her own voice. Anjali, who is 24 and originally from Bangalore but now lives in Chennai, is known for her disciplined morning practice (unless she sleeps in until 12:30, of course!) and finds motivation in the witty words of Frank Zappa: "Jazz isn’t dead, it just smells funny."

​The visual art for the single is as personal as the music. The stunning artwork was created by Simon, who Anjali met at an anime convention. Simon was so open to her ideas that they started working on the visuals before the song was even made, and he even managed to hide Easter eggs from her previous songs within the design (kudos to you if you can spot them!). Supported by essentials like Mahgony (her guitar), AC (to survive Chennai’s heat), and Mummy ka banaya hua khana, Anjali Manoharan is clearly destined for big things.

​STREAM 'CURLS' NOW on Spotify and YouTube!