Flowers mark both beginnings and farewells, a symbolism that composer and singer OAFF, aka Kabeer Kathpalia — beautifully captures in the title of his debut album, Between Flowers. “Last year was an emotional whirlwind; I lost two grandparents but also got married,” OAFF shares over a phone call. “I needed a way to process it all and anchor myself, so I turned to the one thing I know best — music.”
Initially, the album began as a personal exploration of existential questions for OAFF — “Why are we doing this? What is the point of it all?” As the songs took shape, he realised a common thread ran through them, turning his introspective process into a cohesive album. “All nine tracks of Between Flowers carry a personal story. I encourage listeners to experience the album as a whole, as I have put a lot of thought into the structure and sequence of the songs. We even created an immersive film to accompany it,” he reveals.
The album incorporates intimate voice samples, including a recording of his grandmother speaking in Gujarati about her love for her garden and a voice clip from his wife.
Meaning behind the title
The title Between Flowers stems from OAFF’s realisation that flowers accompany both life’s happiest and saddest moments. “Flowers are present at funerals and weddings. I was literally between these two events in my life,” he explains. Though he does not always disclose this to listeners, he acknowledges that this symbolism is at the core of the album’s essence.
The creative process for Between Flowers spanned several months, with some tracks evolving over the years. “Some songs were 80-90% done for a long time, but finding that last 10% took time,” he shares. The title track, ‘Between Flowers’, had its production roots in an unfinished composition from 2017, rediscovered on an old hard drive. “I found the track and realised I could mix it with new ideas. Some songs come together instantly, while others take years,” he notes. On this album, he worked with well-known artistes like Sid Sriram, Divyam Sodhi, Amira Gill, and Vidhya Gopal.
Sonic evolution
Artists evolve, and for OAFF, Between Flowers connects his past and present influences. Growing up, his summers were spent at his grandparents’ house, where he was immersed in Indian classical music and collaborations with artistes like Ravi Shankar and Philip Glass. “I still have those vinyl records,” he says.
With Between Flowers, he sought to blend those formative influences with modern electronic music. “The album fuses Indian classical melodies and folk sounds with contemporary electronic elements,” he explains.
Kabeer Kathpalia aka OAFF
OAFF gained recognition for his work on the soundtrack of Gehraiyaan (2022). Songs like ‘Doobey’ and ‘Beqaaboo’ were big hits. He worked with artistes such as Savera and Lothika, making Gehraiyaan a significant milestone in his career. “We never anticipated its impact. One day, my music was relatively unknown, and the next, the whole country was listening,” he recalls.
This sudden success made him conscious of numbers and hits, but he gradually let go of that pressure. “I realised the success came because I was making music I loved. I wanted to return to that joy of creation without worrying about external expectations.”
Signature sound
A term closely associated with OAFF is ‘Atmospheric Pop’, a label he coined to describe his signature sound. “I love creating textures that evoke a certain atmosphere. Background scores are great, as they create a feeling rather than just a song. I also love pop music, so I merged the two ideas.” The term resonated with audiences, solidifying his unique musical identity.
OAFF has also dabbled in shorter musical experiments. As part of Meta’s One-Minute Music initiative, he collaborated with Lotika Singh on ‘Tu Kahaan’, which became a viral sensation on Instagram.
“People connected with it because of the lyrics, ‘Tu Kahaan, Tu Kahaan,’ which resonated with travel memories. It spread organically, making it a significant digital success,” he says.
Math and melodies
Kabeer specialised in math and science, every Indian parent’s dream career path. So, how did they take it when he swapped equations for melodies?
OAFF chuckles, “Yeah, I majored in mathematics and physics in college, and my parents were very pleased about that. For the longest time, my mom would tell people, ‘Oh, he dabbles in music, but he is actually studying math and physics!’’, like music was just a side quest. Then, one day, she saw my face on a poster, and now it is, ‘Oh, you know OAFF? That’s my son!’”
Thankfully, his family — full of architects, painters, and doctors — always had a creative streak. But, as is tradition, the rule of ‘degrees first and dreams later’ was set in stone. “But seriously, they have always been supportive; they are happy and chilled out now.”
The name game
Kabeer adopted the name OAFF, which amusingly means ‘silly and clumsy’, almost by accident. Before venturing into independent music, he had composed for hundreds of commercials with his partner, Savera. When he was set to release his first song, ‘For A While’, in 2018, he figured he needed a unique artiste name.
The real turning point came when a director asked, “Do you want to go as OAFF or stick with Kabeer?” Without much thought, he casually went with OAFF, unaware it would soon become his identity. “I did not think it would be a big deal,” he admits. But after millions of streams and a Bollywood debut, the name stuck. Now, he laughs, “I’m still Kabeer, but I’m also OAFF.”
Published – February 20, 2025 02:06 pm IST
