Debut album from Tanisha Sharma

Coming out of the city of Bangalore, independent singer-songwriter and multi-genre experimenter Tanisha Sharma has spent the early stages of her career building a catalogue defined by curiosity and candid songwriting. Across nine singles and a three-track EP, she’s developed her songwriting and production skills while exploring the many ways personal experiences can translate into sound. Now, with her debut full-length album titled Bitter Treat, Tanisha brings those years of experimentation together for her most expansive project thus far.

Bitter Treat lands as an eight-track outing shaped by heartbreak, love, ambition, hope, determination and self-discovery. By not following a single story strand from beginning to end, the album captures different emotional moments and experiences, creating a collection of songs that reflect the complicated process of growing up, finding self-belief and learning when to hold on and when to let go.

Musically, Tanisha keeps modern pop at the heart of the record while allowing the sound to stretch in multiple directions. Pop rock, dream pop, Latin pop, reggae pop, disco pop, techno and electronic influences all find space within the album, reflecting an artist more interested in following the needs of each song than forcing everything into a single style, resulting in a deliberately diverse project where emotionally impactful songwriting meets vibrant production.

There’s also a clear thread of nostalgia running through Bitter Treat; early-2000s pop influences sit alongside modern electronic sound design, giving the album a balance between the familiar and the new. Tanisha’s approach isn’t about recreating the past, however and those influences become part of a wider musical fabric through which she can explore her own experiences. The album’s title captures that contrast, with life’s difficult and bittersweet moments becoming opportunities for growth, acceptance and healing, with the songs moving through complicated relationships, unspoken feelings, career pressures and the courage required to begin again.

Each track offers a different perspective, but together they reveal an artist interested in turning genuine emotion into something listeners can recognise within their own lives. The origins of the album reach back to Tanisha’s school and college years, when many of its songs were first written and composed. Those early ideas continued to develop as her songwriting and production talents bloomed, eventually revealing themselves as pieces of a larger creative picture.

Production on Bitter Treat began nearly two years ago, giving Tanisha the time and freedom to experiment with arrangements, sounds and genres. That extended process allowed the record to develop organically and in many ways, the album itself arose from the same instinct that’s shaped her catalogue, keep writing, keep experimenting and see where the music leads. From the rattling punch of drums on opening track “Come Back To You,” bright instrumental plucks and guitar notes form an engaging indie pop scene as Tanisha’s alluring voice spins instantly catchy melodies above carrying poignant lyricism.

Songs like “Fling” lean into an uptempo, synth-focused pop sound which showcases Tanisha’s memorable songwriting and vocal performance flair. “Forget You” presents a more tender take on her sonic vision with gentle piano notes and synth tones casting a dreamy setting as her emotive voice glides above to craft a moving musical moment that’s delicate and mesmeric from start to finish. “I Know What You Want” brings back the energy with a grooving alternative pop jam packed full of infectious hooks and danceable rhythmic energy while “Kryptonite” pairs pattering percussion with bouncy instrumentation to serve up an intoxicating slice of Latin-tinged pop music.

“Let Me Take You With Me” flows with colourful synth textures and pulsing drums as Tanisha’s expressive voice stitches hypnotic melodic threads into the engrossing dance pop arrangement. With “Night Sky,” her intricate vocal lines drift above shimmering synth tones to deliver a transportive sound before closing track “Remember Your Name” injects rock energy with biting electric guitar lines and shuffling drums to deliver a lively finale to her stellar debut full-length record.

Listen to Bitter Treat below