EP REVIEW: RIKA - Conversations I’ve Never Had

RIKA is a British singer-songwriter based in London. Real name being Chandrika Darbari, she is half-Indian and half-Serbian. Her new EP ‘Conversations I’ve Never Had’ was released on January 19 under Warner Music India and it is a mix of delightful melodies!

The 5 intimate Pop songs are full of confessional lyrics take you through the singer’s head and, while the tracks of this breezy, short EP explore different, relatable lyrical themes, they are all united in their unmistakably Indie Pop sound.

‘Long Shot’, featuring Irish vocalist Jamie Miller, is the opener on the record. The song narrates a couple who have broken up, but the narrator still can’t let go of her ex. RIKA brings up all the 'what ifs' that run through our mind when we think of our past relationship: what if I asked them to stay? What if I never left? Would we still have been together? Jamie Miller knocks the ball out of the park with his impeccable vocal skills and it is the irresistible charm and chemistry between himself and RIKA that really makes this track.

‘Car Sick’ might be the Poppiest track here. The bright and peppy song is about the joy of doing simple things with your person, be it friend or lover, like being on a car ride. The whistles and the anthemic chorus garnish this tune with a sweet finish, rendering it even more summer-friendly in sound.

With ‘Grown Up’ the extended play gets more reflective. RIKA fears the unstoppable passage of time as she anticipates all the fears and uncertainties of leaving the securities of childhood behind and stepping into adulthood. The sounds of bell tolls and finger snaps add more depth to the soundscape, acting like markers of the narrator’s unpreventable fate.

The rest of the EP is completed by the heartfelt romantic ballad ‘All I Need’ and the passionate song ‘My Fellow Showman’, which is about being an artist and performer in the public eye.

“The EP is my most vulnerable work yet, with songs about my first love, first heartbreak and the truth about becoming an adult.” RIKA commented.

The artist proudly stands alongside rising talents like Flowerovlove, TeeZandos and girl group Say Now (formerly known as needanamebro) for Meta’s 2023 Next Gen Programme. In 2019, she won Best UK Female Act at the Brit Asia Music Awards.

With ‘Conversations I’ve Never Had’, RIKA flexes her songwriting skills while venturing into a new Indie Pop sound, a far cry from the Dance Pop sounds of her debut work and it is such a fun ride, with no car sickness in sight.