How the Archies star DOT. got to making music

Her introduction to the world of acting unfolded during a Zoom call with Zoya Akhtar, making her debut on the big screen with the recent Netflix film The Archies. Popularly known as DOT., she draws artistic inspiration from her surroundings. This is just the beginning for Aditi Saigal, who has an interesting concept when it comes to her stage name. “As a young child, I used to fill colouring books with my mother. I liked to colour within the margins but my mom was fond of making dots outside. She always said, ‘a little dot never hurt anyone’.”

Music is a personal journey and like any other art forms, is crafted for oneself before being shared with people, she believes. She understands that different individuals resonate with her work in diverse ways.“If not a musician and an actor, I would be a writer,”Aditi tells Bazaar India. Growing up in a household where jazz music was prominently heard, got her inclined towards legendary artists like Etta James, Aretha Franklin; there were also rock, pop, R&B, and rap influences. “We used to play Edie Brickell’s album ‘Shooting Rubber Bands at the Stars’ during our commute to school, it never really occurred to me but as I reconnected with the album recently, I realised how influenced I am by her writing and phrasing,” she confesses. Her musical identity further evolved when she went to School in Wales—The newfound independence, added responsibility, and the picturesque landscape inspired her, creatively.

Skilfully seizing opportunities and following her instincts—much like Ethel Muggs, for her, everything in acting is an experiment right now. Fascinated by the sets of The Archies, she learnt unique hairdressing techniques and distinctive styles of the 60’s. As far as music is concerned,“I have two broad directions, one resonating with the nostalgic tunes of jazz—live sound.Then we have something a little more electronically produced, what Indigo is or what Girls Night is going to be.” she shares. Teaming up with the Playbook, a record label from Wales, has been a key part of her journey. The duo of Ifan and Rich strikes a balance between catchiness, complementing Aditi’s more jazz-infused background.“I don’t have a particular process; it depends on song to song. Sometimes a song gets written as if it were magic, and sometimes you have to work towards a concept that you want to bring to life,” she explains. A cherished memory for this young artist would be from her EP recording for ‘Khamotion’, produced by James Gair. They had to greatly improvise and hustle to make it happen! With an exciting future ahead, Aditi has numerous projects underway, including several auditions for movies and exciting
collaborations with Indie artists. 

This article orginally appeared in Harper's Bazaar India January- February 2024 print issue.

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