Get to know Krithi

Krithi has taken center stage as our July resident at Serato’s Kitchen, sharing her expertise in music technology and diving into the Serato x Gender Amplified Unfound Sounds sound pack.

Krithi truly knows no bounds, blurring boundaries just as well as she breaks them. The Chennai-born, Brooklyn-based producer, sound designer, and music tech educator is on a mission to make music technology accessible to marginalized communities. Her unwavering dedication and infectious passion have positioned her as a driving force behind several nonprofit organizations, equipping aspiring artists with the tools they need to create and share their voices. Inspired by the intricate rhythms of Carnatic music and the energy of New York City’s club scene, Krithi’s music creates genre-bending soundscapes designed to get ya’ll moving and grooving.

In 2014, Krithi’s journey as a producer began at a SBTRKT concert. His unconventional approach to music production, using drum machines, synths, and step sequencers, sparked her curiosity. Discovering Ableton through one of his BBC Radio 6 Music live performances became a turning point, setting her on course for a path as a producer that she’s been pursuing with relentless enthusiasm ever since.

Krithi’s musical journey was influenced by her mother, a talented singer, and her father’s shared passion for music from the West. With her formative years split across different continents, Krithi’s childhood memories were filled with an amalgamation of sounds. Growing up in Chennai, India, she found herself deeply rooted in the intricate traditions of Carnatic music, renowned for its complex melodies and rhythmic patterns. At concerts, she watched percussionists and saw her uncle’s mastery of South Indian percussion instruments while also immersing herself in 60s rock ‘n’ roll and disco, listening to voices like Nat King Cole and Harry Belafonte. At 14, Krithi’s family relocated to the United States, which was a difficult transition for her. She found solace in music, particularly through her school’s jazz choir, which became her safe haven. These musical influences from both the East and the West, nurtured by her parents, formed the foundation of her unique musical identity.

Through music technology, Krithi discovered a unique way to channel the percussive potential she had admired from a distance. Armed with drum machines and digital interfaces, she began programming beats and rhythms.

“I felt like I had a sense of agency through music technology because it gave me the confidence to make dance music with Indian percussion without knowing how to play those instruments in the traditional sense.“

Today, Krithi is a producer and remix artist extraordinaire, seamlessly blending the sounds of the Indian Subcontinent with electronica, hip-hop, and dance music. Inspired by New York City’s club scene, she ventured into genres like jungle, drum and bass, and dubstep, finding parallels that resonated with her heritage. Through meticulous experimentation, she weaves these influences together, creating a sound that transcends cultural boundaries.

Krithi’s impact extends beyond her music as she serves as the Program Manager of Building Beats and works with Beats by Girlz NYC, organizations dedicated to democratizing music technology for marginalized communities. Through her involvement in nonprofit organizations and educational initiatives, she provides platforms for aspiring artists to have their voices are heard and celebrated.

While Krithi was already familiar with Serato DJ Pro, her collaboration with Gender Amplified introduced her to Serato Studio and the game-changing Stems. She found that with Stems, she could create mashups effortlessly and Serato’s user-friendly interface was much easier to teach than Ableton.

“I can actually make a decent mashup now because I don’t worry about EQing the voices out, Stems just does it for me.”

Looking ahead, Krithi has an exciting lineup of projects in store. She’s currently working on a six-track album exploring the measures people take to preserve their mental stability. Additionally, she is contributing songs to an upcoming compilation by some members of UK-based Daytimers, a collective dedicated to championing South Asian Creative communities. and the compilation will be released through the indie label Bubblin’.

During her Serato’s Kitchen residency, Krithi is looking forward to connecting with fellow creators, collaborating, and honing her craft. She’s especially proud to represent the Gender Amplified team by showcasing the Unfound Sounds sound pack and seeing how other artists use the samples in their own work.

“It’s one thing for you to make music, but it’s another thing to make sounds that other people use to make their music – it’s just so empowering to me.”

Serato’s Kitchen with Krithi:

Check out Krithi’s first episode of Serato’s Kitchen below, and catch up on all of her episodes in our YouTube playlist.