Shashwat Bulusu Unpacks Abuse, Self-Harm And Compulsive Lying On 'Pinocchio'

On his latest album 'Pinocchio', Shashwat Bulusu isn't trying to create a sonic world, as he did with the mix of Hindi-Urdu songwriting and intimate and uniquely lo-fi textures on 2024's 'Fitrat', nor is it a work of catchy choruses and easy rhymes. Instead, the 12-track lyrically dense record focuses heavily on expressing everything that's running inside the Vadodara singer-songwriter's mind. Subsequently, it's also his most personal work to date.

"Pinocchio explores over a decade of my songwriting. You can hear me coming to terms with sexual abuse, self-harm and narcissism in real time," confesses Bulusu. The singer-songwriter notes how abuse growing up, self-harm later in life and compulsive lying as a way to stay safe led him to feel drawn to the story of Pinocchio, a puppet brought to life whose nose grows each time he lies. Bulusu explores this draw over song structures that feel nearly free-flowing over guitar-led arrangements, which range from teeming with energy, like on 'Illusions', to receding to bare-bone strums, like on 'Tiny Man'.

The latter is also a good example of how Bulusu prioritises depth over accessibility on the album, as his themes come shrouded in metaphors that invite interpretation, with lines like: "I could just bend the time // Like the hero I am // I’d kill the tiny man // Or smile or cry or the homunculi". Even more direct passages like "Tonight I say goodbye // To the town that saved me from myself // And I was hoping for more // From the people who gave me all they could have" on the closer 'Daffodils/ Narcissus' come with specifics that aren't for everybody but will land deeply with anyone who connects.

That is the defining feature of the album. Though it does contain instances, like 'Lately', which carries more universal melodic expressions, 'Pinocchio' ultimately is more like a personal diary or personal poetry by one of India's most seasoned singer-songwriters. Unlike with the unique ready appeal of 'Fitrat', it requires a specific amount of active attention and specific experience to connect with you, but if it does, it will do so deeply.

Check out the album below and head to Shashwat Bulusu's artist profile for more information. You can also check out a confession board created to accompany the album release.