Sloka Reddy drops new single “Shine Like Me”

Music has been always part of everyday life from the very beginning for fifteen-year-old artist Sloka Reddy. The Minnesota-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has already spent more than a decade developing her voice, bringing together multiple musical styles into a sound that feels modern while remaining deeply connected to her cultural origins. Blending slick pop production with expressive songwriting and influences from both Western and Indian music, Sloka is marking herself as a young artist whose confidence is matched by genuine emotional sincerity.

Trained in vocal performance from the age of four, Sloka immersed herself in both Western vocal techniques and Indian light music, developing a versatility that now allows her to move between genres and languages. Her studies included guidance from legendary Indian playback singer S.P. Shailaja, an experience that further strengthened the talent behind her naturally expressive performances. As an Indian-American artist, Sloka’s music reflects the diversity of multiple cultures; contemporary pop and R&B sit alongside the melodic traditions of Bollywood and Tollywood music, creating an artistic output that at once personal and inclusive.

From interpreting modern chart music and performing Indian film songs to writing her own original material, her focus remains on creating songs that strike a chord through emotion and connection. Inspired by artists including Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, Ariana Grande and Tate McRae, Sloka gravitates towards music that balances memorable melodies with emotional impact and those influences can be heard not through imitation but through a shared emphasis on confidence and meaningful self-expression. “My goal is to create music that helps people feel confident, inspired, and proud of who they are,” she shares.

Earlier this year, listeners were introduced to another side of her artistry through her rendition of Ariana Grande’s “hate that i made you love me,” offering the first window into both her vocal ability and her growing confidence as a performer. While the performance highlighted her ability to reinterpret contemporary pop, it also served as a stepping stone towards something even more personal, her own original songwriting. That next chapter now arrives with “Shine Like Me,” Sloka’s debut original single and an important moment in her development as both a songwriter and recording artist. Penned from the heart, the song captures the values that have shaped her artistic outlook from the beginning, encouraging listeners to embrace their individuality.

Thematically, “Shine Like Me” is a celebration of self-belief and by eschewing confidence as something reserved for a select few, Sloka frames it as a choice available to anyone willing to recognise their own worth. The lyrics speak directly to those who’ve wrestled with self-doubt, offering reassurance that personal strength often begins by accepting who you already are as opposed to trying to become someone else. Brought in by the flicker of breezy guitar tones and warm vocalisations, the song slips into a laid back groove of tapping drums and funky guitar pips as Sloka’s elegant vocals flutter above to craft an utterly charming pop scene packed full of memorable melodies, thoughtful lyricism and engaging rhythmic sway.

Brimming with bright layers of overlapping vocals and flowing with a mellow, danceable groove throughout, “Shine Like Me” sees Sloka Reddy deliver a stunning showcase of her own musical vision. Unveiling her original sound in spectacular fashion, it’s a superb single that confirms Sloka Reddy’s status as an exciting songwriting with a truly compelling output yet to come. As an artist who’s only beginning her journey, Sloka Reddy already possesses a clear artistic identity and readily apparent talent and we can’t wait to see what else she’s got in store on what’s sure to be her breakout year.

Listen to Shine Like Me below

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