Bullying is an unfortunate everyday reality for millions of youths across the world. For one such victim, standing-by was no longer an option.
Ridi never liked the idea of having to fit into a specific mould’. She never cared to fit into specific social groups or engage in popularity competitions. After experiencing a teenager’s worst nightmare and being subject to countless rumours, cyber hate and feeling rejected, she wanted to make it was easy for the millions of others to embrace their own awkwardness, wear what they want and feel comfortable to fit into the shoes that are meant for them. Recognising that just as no one on earth has the same fingerprints, just as no one on earth has the same personality.
Ridi co-founded StopTheB along with her sister Vasundra Oswal- an antibullying campaign with the express aim of turning young people into ‘active bystanders’. Ridi is now also the youngest ever person invited to speak at a UNESCO event on anti-bullying. Ridi now plans to share this same message with the world through her music and hopes that other people who don’t fit the mould will hear her music and find their version of ‘cool’ within themselves, without having to change to who they think they need to be.
Having a long-standing love for singing, Ridi started her musical training at just 9 years old with a learning classical and jazz music in New York city. Later down the line Ridi dabbled with opera in Switzerland, and eventually found her way into the pop scene some years later.
The result was Ridi’s incredible debut single – a project that hopefully everyone of all ages will be able to relate to . From its chilling opening piano keys, Top Guy leaves no question about this. Listeners would be forgiven for thinking that the 17-year-old artist was an industry veteran as the self-penned track flows through introspective and restrained instrumentals to thundering drums and wailing guitars all guided by Ridi’s emotionally wrought English and French vocals, that start soft and climax into a pop-rock belt delivery.
“The song talks about how even when someone is entirely innocent there can always be that one person – the ‘top guy’ who has the power to essentially destroy everything about you. How someone can break you to the point that you don’t even recognise yourself. I hope my music truly helps people travel the same journey of self-realisation I went through.”
Ridi’s artistic work has earned her the validation of well-established players in the music scene. Sylvain Bressollette (Indila: Dernière Danse) is currently directing the Paris-based and highly anticipated shoot for Top Guy’s music video, working alongside Ridi to bring her creative vision to live.
