Meet Pranati | Singer & Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Pranati and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Pranati, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am from India. I moved as recently as September 2024 to LA to live here as an artist and musician and learn from a new journey. I had a musically sound upbringing – where rock and pop and classic rock were always playing in our home. We were encouraged (my sister and I) to learn instruments and enjoy music on a daily basis. My parents were of the correct opinion that music helps in mental development.

I however also faced the challenge of being a creative child in an Indian school. Back when I was in school – they did not care much for The Arts. So my lack of performance in Math, Science, etc brought a lot of stress into my life where I was told constantly that I was dumb, a failure, not good enough and compared to the smarter students.
I suppose experiencing being bullied by peers, teachers, etc till I was 15+ years old moulded who I chose to be as an adult. The decisions I have made as a creative have been love and acceptance I have shown to myself. Kindness. Acceptance and nurturing of talents that no one else really cared to nurture all that much.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I write, co-produce and sing Rock and Metal music but my roots are in Pop / RnB and Jazz. I have had such a rich journey in music that I travelled a large world of it and arrived at Metal. The sound of my narrative. Soft yet harsh. Bold yet Vulnerable. Honest.

I got to where I am today by working my a** off. I started working as a Graphic Designer when I was 18 years old, got my first studio job at 19 and climbed the ladder from them on. I lived in two worlds. One in Design and one in music. I had two feet – one on each ladder, playing a balancing act that drove me mad but was thrilling.

As I grew as a Designer and Art Director, I decided to open a firm of my own. So I did that with my best friend (also guitarist in my band at the time) Ricky Raymond. We started a Design and Marketing firm in 2018 called The Whole Shebang. Ricky has since moved on but I still run the agency- even remotely while I am in LA.

While that was going on, I was performing Jazz in hotels and bars across the country as well as writing, releasing and performing original Rock music with my bands. Life brought its challenges my way when it came to my personal life. So many spokes in the wheel. I nearly fell off both ladders several times. But clung on for dear life.
Saved all the money I could. Denied myself so many things.
And now I’m here in LA. On part 2 of this journey as Peekay.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There’s plenty yet for me to explore as well but I guess I would take them for a hike to, a bunch of galleries and museums, go to the strip and a few more of my favourite bars/restaurants and live music venues, get some awesome Mexican food, maybe hotpot. Get In & Out and go to bed haha.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shout out to my family, friends in India and L.A. and the musicians and supporters I have in Hyderabad (India) for never leaving my side through my creative journey!

Website: https://www.peekay.live

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peekayindia/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pranatikhanna/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Peekayindia/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/peekayindia

Image Credits
Vikram Chandrasekar
@vikramchandrasekar_
@movingpicturesmedia_

Angad Patil
@apanganama

Pathikrit Das
@thefattguy

Rohit Khetle
@fastshutterguy

Nidhi Jacob
@nidhi__jacob

Shitabh Pillai ( @clickingitreal )