When Shreya Pujari first graced our ears with ‘Najaa’ last year, she introduced herself as a storyteller who could bridge continents through sound. And now with her latest single, “Naoriya,” Shreya deepens that narrative, offering a breathtaking journey that flows across Assam’s rivers, Rajasthan’s arid plains, and the rugged coasts of the Nordic north. This is a living map of folk traditions converging, pulsing, and conversing.
“Naoriya,” released on January 23 this year, is anchored by an uncommon 7/8 rhythm that signals that we are somewhere unfamiliar yet captivating right away. The rhythm evokes the rocking sway of a boat, nicely mirroring the song’s central archetype. Across cultures, this archetype embodies longing, transition, and reunion; Pujari’s interpretation threads these motifs seamlessly, crafting a universal yet intensely intimate narrative.
Shreya Pujari mesmerizes her audiences vocally. Her voice navigates the soaring undulations of Assamese Bhatiali melodies with haunting precision, while the grounded, earthy intonations of Rajasthani poetry bring a tactile warmth to the track. The notes are delivered with clarity and the kind of emotional gravitas that transforms lyrics into lived experience.
The production is a masterclass in cross-cultural sonic design. Traditional instruments like the dotara interlace with subtle contemporary textures and create an ancient and alive soundscape. Nordic seafaring motifs surface through atmospheric drones and melodic gestures, evoking distant horizons and salt-washed winds.
If you missed her introduction last year, this is a reintroduction: Shreya Pujari is a world folk fusion visionary and a sonic explorer whose voice and imagination traverse geography and time. Her music is cinematic, intimate, and profoundly human. “Naoriya” is proof that she’s not just continuing her journey but expanding it and charting territories that few contemporary artists dare to explore.
This is a song to listen to in full, slowly, as though you were watching a river bend, feeling the wind on the deck of a boat, and hearing stories that have traveled across centuries. With this song, Shreya Pujari delivers an experience that lingers long after the final note fades.
Listen to “Naoriya” on Spotify or SoundCloud
Follow Shreya Pujari here for more information
