“Independent music has played a significant role in empowering my life. It has helped me to express and release music that I can relate with and want people to relate with, too,” she tells us and goes on to point out some more advantages: “I have a greater creative control over my work and the creative process. I have experimented with different genres, styles, etc. just the way I want to.”

Despite her relatively modest social media following, Kaur’s tracks boast of over a million monthly listeners on streaming platforms. This, she says, stands as a testament to the universal appeal of her songs. And she asserts that this count of listeners is a “tremendous validation” of her music.

“It proves that music can touch people deeply, regardless of online numbers. I’m not talking about social media numbers here, just the fact that I can put out my music on so many platforms and people get to hear it and resonate with it,” says the singer, who has musical numbers such as Bajre Da Sitta and Ghana Kasoota, among others, to her credit.

The influence of independent music extends beyond creative freedom; it has also spurred innovative approaches to production, marketing and distribution. In a world where earnings from streaming platforms can be modest at best, live shows become a crucial source of revenue for independent artistes like herself.

Acknowledging the significance of gigs, the 29-year-old says, “Live shows represent a vital revenue stream, especially when earnings from streaming platforms are meagre.”