ANNOUNCES SPECIAL ALBUM RELEASE CONCERT IN BROOKLYN, NYC
SHISHI (LIVE) – INDIGO TOUR
9/6 @ NATIONAL SAWDUST, TICKETS ON SALE NOW
NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2025 – Musician and meditation practitioner Aasheesh Paliwal, known as ShiShi, has released his 9-track album Indigo, a transformative rock record that emerges from two decades of creative evolution. The New York-based artist channels his signature fusion of Indian classical influences and meditative sound design into an unexpected rock framework, creating arrangements where guitars sit alongside tablas and distorted riffs meet hypnotic mantras.
Indigo traces a profound emotional journey from disconnection to expansive awareness, rooted in Hindu philosophy and symbolized by the indigo color of enlightenment. The album spans from the harmonium-led sunrise meditation of “Aham Brahmasmi” to the digital addiction commentary of “Dopamine Machine,” each track carrying intentional arrangements designed for both cathartic release and spiritual awakening.
About his artistic journey to ‘Indigo’, ShiShi says,
“Rock has always been in my blood. I grew up listening to Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Guns N’ Roses… but as a shy, introverted kid who moved countries every few years, I found my voice in solitude. Making beats on my laptop felt safe. Twenty years later, it feels like I’ve come full circle. With ‘INDIGO’, I wanted to take the intensity and rawness of rock and fuse it with everything I’ve learned from meditation, shadow work and sound healing. People think of spiritual music and picture sound bowls or ambient drones (and that’s awesome too), but I love the idea of Trojan-horsing these messages about awakening into a genre that hits you in the chest. It’s loud, it’s urgent, but at its core, it’s about stillness.”
The album’s emotional terrain encompasses the devotional surrender of “Dreamweaver,” the fierce feminine force of “KALI,” the blistering outsider’s anthem “Loser,” and the closing reassurance of “Krishna’s Theme” – a reminder that even in fear, the divine quietly holds you. Every track on Indigo is tuned to 432 Hz, a frequency many connect with focus, healing and balance. Previously released singles “The Light That Wakes Me” and “Grandfather” established the album’s themes of shadow work and self-discovery.
ShiShi’s career has consistently merged worlds since his 2017 breakout “Aarti” reimagined Bollywood through electronic production. Born to Indian parents and raised across China, Switzerland, and the U.S., he’s drawn from devotional bhajans, classic rock, and global pop throughout his evolution. His 2021 release Homecoming explored sound healing through ambient arrangements, while 2022’s Chrysalis paired hypnotic beats with transformation themes.
In 2024, he co-founded the spiritual dance project BAHÉ with Aditya Rao, refining his integration of music and mindfulness. Beyond recording, ShiShi has established himself as a meditation and sound-healing practitioner, leading workshops and creating immersive experiences that bridge music with personal awakening.
Indigo demonstrates how rock can serve spiritual exploration while maintaining the intensity and urgency that defines the genre. The fusion creates something unexpected yet deeply intentional: a bridge between the cathartic power of rock and the transformative potential of meditative practice.
About identity and creativity, ShiShi says,
“I never really had the luxury of one clear identity. My whole life has been about not fitting neatly into one box: culturally, musically or personally. I grew up across China, Switzerland and the U.S. with deep roots in India. That used to make me feel like I didn’t belong anywhere. Now I see it as my superpower. My work has always been about building bridges: between East and West, between the head and the heart, between the self you show the world and the self you find when you close your eyes. ‘INDIGO’ is the culmination of that journey. It’s not just an album for me… It’s a map, a reminder that you can turn all the places where you’ve felt lost into coordinates that lead you home.”
Following the album’s release, ShiShi will perform a special Indigo live concert in Brooklyn at National Sawdust on September 6, 2025. The show will feature full-band arrangements and fluid production. A live album will follow Indigo, along with more tour dates and wellness-driven performances designed to give audiences not just a show, but an experience of transformation.
Tickets are available here: https://www.nationalsawdust.org/event/shishi-album-release