Abhi the Nomad
Abhi Sridharan Vaidehi,[1] better known by his stage name Abhi the Nomad, is an Indian rapper, singer, and songwriter associated with hip hop music.[2][3] To date, Vaidehi has released three full-length albums, Marbled, Modern Trash, and, most recently, Abhi vs the Universe, as well as six extended plays.
Abhi the Nomad | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Abhi Sridharan Vaidehi |
| Born | 14 April 1993 Madras, India |
| Genres | Hip hop, conscious hip hop, pop rap |
| Years active | 2014–present |
| Labels | UnderCurrent, Riptide Music, DeepMatter, Tommy Boy Records, OK-Tho Records |
| Website | www |
Early life
Vaidehi was born in Madras, India to a diplomat father who was frequently forced to travel.[4] In addition to India, Vaidehi has resided in China, Hong Kong, France, the Fiji Islands and the United States.[5] The events of Vaidehi's childhood heavily influenced his stage name, "Nomad", meaning a person without a fixed habitat.
Some of Vaidehi's earliest musical influences included Blink-182 and Linkin Park. He later found himself fascinated with the music of Chicago rapper Kanye West, whom he has described as his gateway into hip-hop music.[6] Of his introduction to the genre, Vaidehi stated "Ye got me into hip-hop, and Jay kept me coming back."[6]
Career
Vaidehi has released three full-length albums as well as six extended plays. Of all of the songs in his expansive discography, more than half are collaborations. Some of Vaidehi's most frequent collaborators are Khary, Harrison Sands, Sherm, and Foster Cazz.
On February 9, 2018, he released his first studio album, Marbled, under Tommy Boy Records. It included the song "Sex n Drugs", which went on to become his most popular song.
On October 4, 2019, he released his second studio album, Modern Trash, which was supported by the single "Me No Evil". A Modern Trash LP, which included one exclusive bonus track, was sold for a limited time.
On September 12, 2021, he released his third studio album, Abhi vs the Universe.[7] A limited-time cassette tape of the album was produced in a small quantity and sold on Vaidehi's Bandcamp page.
In 2020, Vaidehi signed to UnderCurrent Entertainment.[8]
During the 2020 presidential election primary campaign season, Vaidehi promoted Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders by releasing a video on his YouTube channel featuring live, acoustic versions of his songs "Jungle", "So Long", and "Hello Stranger".[9]
In December 2021, nearly three months after the release of Abhi vs the Universe, a deluxe edition of the album was released on all platforms.[10]
On 3 August 2022, Vaidehi announced a twenty-stop tour entitled Abhi the Nomad: Universe Tour. The tour ran for just over two months from 18 September 2022, to 20 November 2022, and saw support from singer-songwriter and TikTok inflencer Charlie Curtis-Beard.[11]
On 6 January 2023, Vaidehi announced on Twitter and his Discord server that a second EP with Kato on the Track, Abhi vs Kato II: Gold Standard, (which would serve as a sequel to 2020's Abhi vs Kato) was in progress. The project's first single, entitled “Gordon Ramsay”, was released on January 27. The album’s tracklist was released on February 22, and the EP was released on February 24.
On April 3, 2023, Vaidehi announced his fourth studio album, Abhi vs the Universe II: Heart of the Galaxy, with a short teaser released to his YouTube channel.[12] The album will serve as a sequel to his third album, Abhi vs the Universe, and will be released on an unknown date in 2023.
Personal life
Vaidehi currently resides in Austin, Texas.[13]
Of his heritage, he stated in an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times "I’m not really complaining — being Indian’s actually almost an advantage... but it’d be cool if a lot of Indians were prominent in hip-hop. They’re not, and I don’t know why."
Discography
Studio albums
| Album | Album details |
|---|---|
| Marbled |
|
| Modern Trash |
|
| Abhi vs the Universe |
|
| Abhi vs the Universe II: Heart of the Galaxy |
|
Extended plays
| Album | Album details |
|---|---|
| Beginning |
|
| Where Are My Friends |
|
| Catharsis |
|
| Abhi Vs Kato (with Kato) |
|
| Abhi vs the Universe (Acoustic) |
|
| Abhi Vs Kato II: Gold Standard (with Kato) |
|
References
- Wang, Clara (6 May 2018). "Meet Abhi the Nomad, rap's part-time hustler". The Daily Dot. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
- "The Austin 100: Abhi the Nomad". NPR.org. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
- aapimusicians (26 May 2022). "Abhi the Nomad Interview". Mysite. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
- "Abhi the Nomad has lived in many lands on his way to hip-hop success". Chicago Sun-Times. 13 October 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
- "Abhi the Nomad has lived in many lands on his way to hip-hop success". Chicago Sun-Times. 13 October 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
- Carmichael, Rodney (18 January 2018). "Abhi the Nomad's 'Marbled' Masks Moody Truths In Late-Night Synths". NPR. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
- "Abhi vs. The Universe, by Abhi The Nomad". Abhi The Nomad. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
- "UnderCurrent Entertainment". undercurrent.net. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
- Abhi the Nomad x Bernie Sanders (Live Acoustic Session), retrieved 2 August 2022
- Abhi vs The Universe (Deluxe), 17 December 2021, retrieved 6 April 2023
- "I'm going on tour..." Twitter. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
- Abhi vs The Universe II (Teaser Video), retrieved 10 April 2023
- Leffler, David (9 October 2019). "Abhi the Nomad Comes Clean With "Modern Trash"". Austin Monthly Magazine. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
External links
- Official website
- Abhi the Nomad at IMDb
- Abhi the Nomad discography at Discogs