New York-based Artist and Researcher, abiraahmi, recently released KAPALI, an electronic music project inspired by Chennai’s Sri Kapaleeswara Temple, blending Sanskrit, Tamil and English vocals with contemporary production. Marking her production debut, the release showcases a distinct fusion of South Asian musical influences and modern electronica, shaped by her Sri Lankan and Indian roots, upbringing in Dubai, and life in New York.

Released in two chapters, chapter one of KAPALI features the original cinematic arrangement and spoken-word Reprise that unpacks the story behind the song. Chapter two [02] transforms those themes into a bass-heavy future rave remix.

The project was inspired by a visit to Chennai in March 2026, following the passing of her grandmother, Shantha Kannaiyan. Speaking on the new release, abiraahmi stated: “KAPALI is about destruction and the reformation that can emerge from it. Returning to a place that has been part of not just my upbringing, but my parents, and my grandparents, had me thinking about the many different people and different versions of the same people that have passed through those temple grounds over generations; the people who once were, who we were, and who we are.” The visit coincided with the Thayer festival - a period of celebration in the city, where the streets of Mylapore bustled with song and dance, creating a powerful contrast between personal grief and collective joy that ultimately shaped the emotional foundation of the tracks. 

Drawing on her background in research, abiraahmi approached KAPALI through both personal reflection and observation. Her work exploring human development informed the creative process, prompting her to look beyond grief and consider how memory, culture and identity are carried across generations.

While her artistic practice began in Dubai more than a decade ago through songwriting and live performances, KAPALI marks abiraahmi's artistic evolution with her first self-produced project. Developed over 3 months, KAPALI was conceived as a three-part body of work that captures a range of how abiraahmi experienced Kapaleeswara - as a wound, as a memory, and, finally, as a release. KAPALI and its accompanying future rave remix are available now on all major streaming platforms.