Kochi Artist Haniya Nafisa Releases Debut Album Vaakkath in Electronic Indie Pop

When the 23‑year‑old singer‑songwriter‑producer from Kochi hit play on her new release, listeners were met with a soundscape that felt both familiar and boldly new. On 6 July 2026, Haniya Nafisa unveiled Vaakkath, a nine‑track full‑length album that she issued through Devil Inside Records and made instantly available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and every major streaming platform.

The album’s birth was anything but pre‑scripted. Nafisa explains that many of the tracks began as individual singles, each crafted with a different collaborator. As more artists and songs slipped into the mix, the project naturally grew from a modest EP into a cohesive album. The final track list, therefore, reads like a snapshot of a creative ecosystem that expanded while she was still mastering music production.

Vaakkath marks a clear departure from the style that first put Nafisa on the radar. While her pandemic‑era buzz came from covering popular songs, the new record leans heavily into electronic production and foregrounds lyrics in the Kannur dialect. The title itself—meaning “on my word” in that dialect—breaks down into vaaku (word) and kath (letter). For Nafisa, writing in her mother tongue is an act of authenticity that anchors the album’s emotional core.

The collaborative roster is as diverse as the sonic palette. Tracks feature contributions from MHR, Raunaq, Zail, Amani Kl10, and Wraith V, each bringing a distinct flavor that blends indie‑pop sensibilities with crisp electronic textures.

Nafisa’s independent journey began with the 2024 single “Mulchedi,” a melancholy tune born during a personally challenging period. Its success emboldened her to broaden her musical vocabulary, leading to an English single, “When Life Gives You Lemons,” and a partnership with Filipino band Munimuni on the bilingual track “Maarum/Usad.”

Beyond the independent scene, Nafisa’s playback singing credentials add depth to her résumé. She debuted in 2021 with “Zindagi” from the Telugu film Most Eligible Bachelor, composed by Gopi Sundar, and later recorded “Kisses in the Clouds” for the Cannes‑winning short All We Imagine as Light, a piece scored by Topshe.

Her approach to songwriting shifted dramatically once she decided to pursue independent music seriously. Nafisa notes that she used to write only when something struck her with intensity. The decision to take control forced her to abandon the wait‑for‑inspiration mindset. In December, she completed an online challenge that demanded ten songs in ten days, a rigorous exercise that taught her to write on command and bolstered her confidence to finish an entire album.

Parallel to her music career, Nafisa has cultivated an acting portfolio. She made her screen debut in the Tamil film Connect, followed by Malayalam roles in O.Baby and Apple Chedikal. A new project is slated to begin shooting next month, a venture she describes as “very different from anything I’ve done before.”

Looking ahead, Nafisa is already collaborating on fresh material with Anohnymouss, Drumyuga, and Amrit Ramnath. She cites Sushin Shyam’s layered vocal arrangements as a key source of inspiration and expresses a desire to deepen her understanding of that craft, produce more of her own music, and discover a sound that is unmistakably her own. For her, the ability to produce independently is the next logical step.

Today, Vaakkath streams across all major platforms, marking a significant milestone in Nafisa’s evolution from a pandemic‑era cover artist to a full‑spectrum creator in the Indian independent music scene. The album’s release signals her readiness to step into a new era of artistic ownership and collaborative exploration.