The Art of Floating: Anant Goyal on Fragility, Surrender, and “Kaagaz”

In a world that constantly demands we be bulletproof, Anant Goyal is making a profound case for being paper thin. The Uttarakhand born singer songwriter has spent the last few years navigating a unique duality, balancing the rigid structure of a corporate career in Gurugram with the late night silence of his creative sanctuary. His latest single, “Kaagaz,” serves as the emotional anchor of his upcoming EP, “Kaagaz ki Nav.” It is a track that explores the delicate art of surrendering to life rather than resisting it, proving that true strength often looks a lot like letting go.

Anant’s musical journey is a masterclass in his chosen keyword: becoming. Raised in the small town of Khatima, his sound was forged in the stillness of the hills and the influence of atmospheric giants like Gregory Alan Isakov and John Mayer. For a long time, music remained a private refuge, a secret world he kept to himself until the encouragement of his peers during college gave him the courage to share his debut track, Titli. Since then, his evolution has been intentional. From the cinematic production of Inaayat to the raw, stripped back vulnerability of his recent work, Anant has been slowly blending his varied influences into a voice that is entirely his own.

The creation of “Kaagaz” was an organic process that found its home at Compass Box Music under the guidance of producer Raag Sethi. While the songs had been living as ideas since 2023, the actual recording took place during an intimate week in Ahmedabad. The track itself is built on a stunning metaphor: the paper boat. Anant suggests that paper boats are not brave in the traditional sense; they are fragile and tear easily. However, they float precisely because they do not resist the water. They surrender to the current. This philosophy of choosing love without the need for control is what gives the song its visceral, emotional core.

Interestingly, the recording process was not without its own high stakes drama. Just days before leaving for the studio, Anant scrapped a track entirely, leading to a high pressure writing session that birthed his now favorite song on the EP, Naraazgi. It is this willingness to embrace both the beauty and the terror of the creative process that defines Anant as an artist. At 24, he continues to juggle his corporate responsibilities with a blossoming musical identity, proving that the most authentic art often happens when the world finally goes quiet. As he prepares to release the full EP in early 2026, Anant Goyal is not just drifting; he is floating with a clear and beautiful purpose.