Dixi, the South Asian singer songwriter and practising paediatrician who first gained global attention for her viral musical moments with young patients, returns with her single Sounds Like, created with long time collaborator DJ Naveen Kumar. Released on YouTube, the track forms part of a much larger project. It appears on the album Sounds Like and later became one of the key songs on her debut EP, also titled Sounds Like, which released as a global musical story about love, connection and cultural unity.
The EP promises a fusion of Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and Indian classical influences with R and B, Pop, House, EDM, Afrobeats and even touches inspired by Bollywood. Dixi has long been known for her genre bending background, from her epic mashups and performances across the world to her collaborations with Salim Sulaiman’s Merchant Records and UK hitmaker Rishi Rich. She even entered the UK top five charts with her earlier debut single Need Nobody featuring Raxstar and music produced by Shayal. The expectations surrounding Sounds Like were naturally high.
However, the single struggles under the weight of its own ambition. The production opens with layered vocals that show glimpses of the warmth and musicality that made Dixi popular during her earlier years singing hymns at her local temple, leading Texas A and M University’s South Asian acapella group Swaram and performing with Atlanta based band JashnATL. Yet once the electronic elements enter, the track shifts abruptly, losing the emotional tone that could have grounded the fusion.
Dixi’s vocals carry the melodic strength she has displayed since winning Best Female Vocalist for Gathe Raho and opening for Shreya Ghoshal in 2012. But in this single, her voice is frequently overshadowed by overpowering beats that feel more experimental than expressive. The electronic drops do not blend seamlessly with the Indian classical nuances and instead create a sense of conflict within the arrangement.
The intention of the EP is to chart a journey through innocence, heartbreak and mature love, but this particular track feels structurally unsure and sonically crowded. The repeated sections do not evolve and the build-ups lead to predictable conclusions. Rather than celebrating cultural influences, the blend feels uneven and lacks a clear emotional anchor.
While Dixi’s artistic evolution from paediatric doctor to global creator is undeniably inspiring, Sounds Like does not fully showcase the depth of her talent. The vision behind the project is rich, yet this single presents more confusion than cohesion. Overall, the track feels like a missed opportunity.
