Singer and songwriter Mallika Mehta has had her fair share of releases, mostly in English and more recently in Hindi. The Berklee graduate has also performed alongside mainstream greats like Kailash Kher and Shankar, Ehsaan, & Loy. It’s safe to say that the songstress has had a considerable repute among her fans.

In her latest single Bling & Pictures, she boldly asserts the power of her talent. She doesn’t need any unnecessary drama and the glitz and glamor of stardom to prove her worth. Her voice can do the talking.

The lyrics are simple but bring out an optimistic future for the singer. Mehta co-wrote the lines with two other songwriters during a songwriting program at New York University in 2019. The lyrical elements are simple but still bring out the rebellious nature and personal tones that Mehta seeks to evoke.

Even though the artist has had a bluesy tone in her indie-pop releases, this particular track finds her acquainting herself with the hip-hop nature. She gently raps out her verses while crooning the catchy chorus that plays out as ‘I was never one for the bling and the pictures’.

And this particular chorus runs true for many artists. In today’s Instagram-driven world of content creation, many artists are compelled to go beyond their usual skillset and engage in one trend or the other. But sometimes, the ‘bling and pictures’ need to be given up for an artist to remain true to themselves.

Verdict: A self-confident anthem for artists to stay true to themselves.