Kamakshi Khanna, When Chai Met Toast, Zoe Siddharth: The Best Indie Singles of 2020

Composer and producer Meghdeep Bose visits a personal loss through 'Maine Dekha Hai', following the tragic demise of his aunt who lost the battle to cancer in September 2020. Accompanied by Sameer Rahat's songwriting and Pratibha Singh Baghel's emphatic vocals, the song strengthens one to come to terms with grief and melancholy.

Written and recorded after he moved to his hometown in Arunachal Pradesh during the lockdown, singer-songwriter Taba Chake believes that 'Blush' isn't similar to every other love song out there. When you listen to the track, you'd want to rekindle the flame in your romance and make small efforts towards building lasting relationships.

An electro-dance composition, 'Tarse' by Charan and Zenith reflects upon how two souls can be in love yet content with staying apart from one another.

Acclaimed singer/songwriter Nikhil Swaroop addresses mental health with the light and breezy 'Mann Ae Mann'.

Coupling elements of hip-hop and nu-metal, New Delhi's Seedhe Maut and trap and bass producer Karan Kanchan render a clutter-breaking composition with 'Dum Pishaach'.

Having charmed audiences with her mellifluous vocals in English, Mallika Mehta makes a remarkable foray with singing in Hindi through 'Kahan Hai Tu'. Expressing one's yearning for affection and belonging, the song ably conveys exasperation, confusion and uncertainty of millennial romance.

Kochi-based folk fusion act Masala Coffee offers a poignant sense of homecoming with their Tamil release, 'Manitham', thereby urging listeners to practice empathy and compassion in adverse times.

An electro-fusion genius by Pune's Reeshabh Purohit, 'The Flight' is inspired from noted Marathi poem, 'Aakashwedi' which urges listeners to live their lives as per their individual choices. It makes for a truly liberating listening.

Juggling between alternative rock and progressive rock, 'Udd Chala', the second track released from The Sleeping Satellite's upcoming EP 'Manzil', is a leap of faith that one must undertake to overcome all odds.

Rapper Prabh Deep rages about how aspirations and desires are stunted by the oppressors who trick the naive into the consuming world of substances and materialism with his club-friendly and groovy 'Chitta'.

Chandigarh rock act Naalayak released four tracks from their album 'Hindi Gaane' in 2020. 'Mustafa' being one among the four. An ode to the joys of the wonder years, the song is sombre yet empowering.

Deploying electro-pop influences, young Siddhant Mishra offers a breezy and poetic ode to the excitement of finding one's true love.

Through her silken vocals, Maalavika Manoj aka Mali questions the dubiousness of power and authority. Although the lyrics are politically charged, Mali believes that the song is open to interpretation for all. In her view, the song is about finding confidence while overcoming self-doubt.

A classical thumri gets an electronic twist by mother-son duo Kavita Seth and Kanishk Seth. This one warrants repeated listening and is a perfect drive-time accompaniment.

A fun pop rock composition, 'Satire' by The Lightyears Explode is a harmless escapist if you wish to take a break from the harsh realities surrounding you.

Chronicling the complexities yet celebrating its chaos, Tejas Menon offers an upbeat confession about his love for the city of dreams.

Think of a rainy afternoon and you're looking for warmth and bliss. Your answer lies with 'Parchaayi'.

Zoe Siddharth makes us cry a river with her heartfelt and poignant 'Human'.

We can all pat ourselves on the back if we fell in love with this song at the first listening itself.

Replete with R'N'B aesthetes, Kamakshi Khanna's 'Qareeb' celebrates liberation and one's sense of self. All the wonderful ladies, sip up some hot chocolate, plug into this song and cherish yourselves.

With live performances or scheduled tours standing cancelled following the outbreak of a global pandemic, the opportunities were narrowed for independent artistes in 2020. In order to sustain livelihood and recall, many took to digital music streaming platforms to showcase their singles or tracks from an upcoming album/EP. Charting out a list of just 20 songs from a year that saw over 2000 releases was an arduous task and a process one might dread, but we had to tip off our hats to the ones that particularly stood out for us. So here are our picks without further ado.