[GrooveCartel] Let’s Talk About Anvaya

Deep house beats and South Asian classical music are coming together in Anvaya to make something truly amazing. Kaushal and Sonia, who are married and work as doctors during the day and as visionary producers at night, have quickly become major voices in the growing Indo House movement.

Anvaya is at the center of cultural heritage and cutting-edge electronic music. Their debut EP “Sands Between Us” on Indo Warehouse and a historic show at Coachella are just around the corner.

We talked to the duo about their unique journey from medical professionals to musical pioneers and how they’re changing what South Asian representation looks like in global electronic music. They had just come off a sold-out show at London’s famous Roundhouse, and their hypnotic single “Dheere” is still playing in clubs around the world.

Before the sold-out showcases and landmark releases, there was the spark—that first moment of connection with electronic music. Can you transport us back to those formative experiences that first ignited your passion for creating rather than just consuming music?

We’re both lifelong musicians, so in a way music creation has always been in our lives. It just looked differently in the early years. Sonia is a classically trained singer, and Kaushal has been performing in orchestras and bands, playing every instrument I could get his hands on – tenor sax, French horn, piano, guitar, bass, drums, you name it. In college, I started experimenting with music production in a casual way. When we met, we would play together with Sonia singing and Kaushal on guitar or keys. We tinkered with blending electronic sounds and human elements. When we went to shows together, we would find ourselves oscillating between enjoying the moment and also trying to understand the sound design, energy flow, arrangement within the music we’d hear. That influence naturally flowed into our music production and that led us down this path.

The underground electronic scene can be notoriously difficult to navigate. What early barriers did you encounter when attempting to establish your unique sonic identity, and how did you overcome them?

Establishing a clear sonic identity is challenging because, to be honest, our sonic identity is not static, and we are constantly pulling from so many sources of inspiration. We are equally likely to pull inspiration from Chemical Brothers, Miles Davis, or AR Rahman. And this reflects in the music we write. In today’s music landscape, emerging artists are sometimes under pressure to have a clear and concise sound when the reality is that most artists have many facets to their inspiration and love for music. We have currently opted to let our sonic identity be an amalgamation of all of our sources of inspiration. We’ve been fortunate to join a label (Indo Warehouse) of producers and DJs who ardently support this authentic approach.

Your creative evolution has clearly been marked by distinctive phases. How has your sound metamorphosed from those initial productions to the hypnotic, culturally-infused compositions we hear on “Dheere“?

Our sound has gone through and continues to go through an evolution. In the beginning, our productions were more exploratory—finding our footing, experimenting with sound design and arrangement. We were figuring out how to blend our influences in a way that felt authentic, and sometimes, that meant leaning into safer or more familiar sonic territory. With “Dheere,” everything shifted.
“Dheere” isn’t a “safe” track by any means, and that’s exactly why it feels so important. It was a moment where we leaned fully into instinct rather than expectation. It’s darker, more hypnotic, and you won’t hear another track quite like it on Sands Between Us. That’s intentional. This track reflects us exploring the edges of what Indo House can feel like. It also represents the kind of creative risks we’re excited to take and the freedom we feel when we trust our own vision.

Many artists speak of watershed moments—performances or releases that fundamentally altered their trajectory. Was there a singular turning point that catapulted your career forward, or has your rise been more of a steady, organic evolution?

Our rise has definitely been more steady. There was an early defining moment in 2023 that comes to mind, which is when we released Garba Szn 2 on Indo Warehouse. We reimagined Haa Re Ma, a traditional Garba composition originally written by Kaushal’s grandmother. This marked the first time we reached back into our roots and brought something so deeply personal on so many levels into a contemporary context. It was a tribute to timeless cultural traditions and a bridge between generations. The response was overwhelming, and seeing people from all backgrounds connect with the energy of that track and dance to it in both cultural and club spaces meant everything to us.

Each show we perform at, whether in the United States or internationally, pushes us to take bigger risks and refine our skills. Now, performing at Coachella feels like a major catalyst. It’s more than a stage—it’s a chance to invite a massive, diverse audience into our world, and that has been an incredible source of motivation. Just the preparation alone has challenged and matured us. We’re excited to see how we grow even more from this experience.

The leap from releasing singles to crafting a cohesive EP represents a significant artistic expansion. What unexpected challenges emerged during the creation of “Sands Between Us” that you hadn’t encountered when producing individual tracks?

One of the biggest challenges we experienced was deciding which tracks belonged on the EP and which should stand alone as singles. We have a growing collection of music we love, but not everything served the narrative we wanted this project to carry. Cutting some tracks—for now—was tough, especially when we were attached to them emotionally or creatively. Ultimately, we wanted Sands Between Us to feel intentional, not just a playlist of songs we liked. Another unexpected challenge was defining the story we wanted to tell through the EP: one that captured both of our journeys as individuals, our growth, and the emotional landscapes we’ve traveled. It took a lot of joint reflection over numerous cups of coffee to weave our individual experiences into something that felt unified and true to who we are as a duo.

Coachella represents electronic music’s grandest stage—a radical departure from intimate club environments. How are you preparing to translate the nuanced emotional textures of your production for such a massive, potentially mainstream audience?

Coachella demands a completely different kind of energy than some of the intimate club spaces we have played in. We’ve been carefully reworking our set to bridge that gap—curating live elements and creating moments that invite the audience in, even if they have never heard our music before. The goal is to stay true to our artistry and quality of production while embracing the scale and opportunity of a stage like Coachella.

Many artists find themselves pressured to dilute their cultural specificity when reaching broader audiences. Are you feeling any tension between maintaining your authentic South Asian-influenced sound and adapting to Coachella’s more commercial expectations?

Not once have we felt pressured to dilute our culture in the music we are presenting on a stage like Coachella. If anything, we’re amplifying it and showing you just some of the best of what our culture has to offer. An hour-long set is not enough. This show is so much bigger than us, and we want the kids, adults, grandparents, uncle,s and aunties all around the world watching us perform to feel pride in our community and feel part of the movement.

Festival sets often serve as laboratories for testing unreleased material. Will Coachella attendees be privileged to experience exclusive previews beyond what appears on “Sands Between Us,” and how do you select which unreleased gems to share?

Coachella attendees are in for something truly one of a kind. We’ve crafted a set that goes beyond Sands Between Us, both sonically and visually. This isn’t just a DJ set, but rather an experience we’ve built specifically for this stage. We’ve written and produced entirely new, unreleased material just for Coachella. Some of these tracks won’t be found on Sands Between Us and haven’t been heard anywhere else. When choosing what unreleased gems to include, it’s all about energy and emotional impact. Every track in this set serves a purpose, whether it sparks a moment of nostalgia or takes you into the future of Indo House.

The duality of your existence—healing bodies by day, moving them by night—creates a fascinating tension. How does the precision and empathy required in medical practice infuse the emotional architecture of your productions?

Practicing medicine demands unwavering attention to detail. There is no room for compromise when lives are at stake. Through years of specialized training, we’ve developed a work ethic and nuanced skill sets that naturally inform how we approach music production.

Caring for patients keeps us grounded in the raw, unfiltered reality of human experience. We’re constantly bearing witness to moments of vulnerability, resilience, fear, and hope. These encounters leave us with stories—so many stories—and music has become the space where we process, express, and honor them. In that sense, music has become more than an outlet; it has come to be a form of emotional translation. Being able to create through sound allows us to channel the weight of what we carry into something meaningful. In turn, this artistic vulnerability only deepens our empathy. Somehow, we feel more connected to our audience and our patients.

The demanding nature of both medicine and music touring seems almost impossible to reconcile. What practical systems have you developed to honor both callings without sacrificing your artistic output or patient care?

First and foremost, it comes down to time management and efficiency. We plan our touring and studio sessions around our clinical responsibilities, often months in advance. Shared calendars on our phones are a must!

We also lean on strong support systems in both worlds who help make it all possible. Flexibility and communication are imperative. On the creative side, we’ve learned to work efficiently—writing on flights, producing in short windows, and staying inspired even when we’re on the go.

Your South Asian heritage pulses through every bass line and melodic phrase in your work. How has your cultural background provided both inspiration and challenges as you’ve navigated predominantly Western electronic music spaces?

Our South Asian heritage is an endless source of inspiration—the range, depth, and richness of its musical foundations are truly unparalleled. From intricate rhythms, various styles of singing, and beautiful ragas, there’s a vast sonic landscape that we constantly draw from.

We’re deeply inspired by these elements, but we also want to make our music accessible and inviting to a broad audience. Having grown up in the United States, it feels natural and authentic for us to weave together Western and global influences alongside our South Asian roots. We’ve found that when we lead with authenticity, the right listeners, across cultures, respond. And that’s been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.

As our talk comes to a close, it becomes very clear that Anvaya’s dual existence isn’t just an interesting fact about their life; it’s what makes them who they are as an artist. Every beat and melody they make has the same level of accuracy, empathy, and depth that they use in their medical work. In today’s fragmented music scene, many artists struggle to define themselves. Kaushal and Sonia, on the other hand, have accepted the variety of their influences, creating a sound that is hard to put into a single category but is still clearly their own.

Follow Anvaya on Instagram and listen to their music on Spotify.

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