Abhi Sridharan Vaidehi (born 14 April 1993),[1] better known by his stage name Abhi the Nomad, is an Indian rapper, singer, and songwriter associated with alternative hip hop music.[2][3] As of 2023, Vaidehi has released four full-length albums, Marbled, Modern Trash, Abhi vs the Universe, and Abhi vs the Universe II, as well as five extended plays.
Early life
Vaidehi was born in Madras, India to a diplomat father who was frequently forced to travel.[4] In addition to India, Sridharan Vaidehi has resided in China, Hong Kong, France, the Fiji Islands and the United States.[4] The events of Vaidehi's childhood heavily influenced his stage name, "Nomad", meaning a person without a fixed habitat.
Some of Vaidehi's earliest musical influences included Blink-182 and Linkin Park. He later found himself fascinated with the music of Chicago rapper Kanye West, whom he has described as his gateway into hip-hop music.[5] Of his introduction to the genre, Sridharan Vaidehi stated "Ye got me into hip-hop, and Jay kept me coming back."[5]
Career
Vaidehi has released four full-length albums as well as five extended plays (excluding acoustic versions of his albums). Of all of the songs in his expansive discography, more than half are collaborations. Some of his most frequent collaborators are Khary, Harrison Sands, Sherm, and Foster Cazz.
2018–2019: Marbled and Modern Trash
On 9 February 2018, Vaidehi released his first studio album, Marbled, under Tommy Boy Records. It included the song "Sex n Drugs", which went on to become his most popular song.
On 4 October 2019, Vaidehi released his second studio album, Modern Trash, as a call to action for the environment. It was supported by the singles "House of Clocks"[6] and "Me No Evil".[7] A Modern TrashLP, which included one exclusive bonus track, was sold for a limited time.
2020–2023: Abhi vs the Universe and subsequent sequel
In 2020, Vaidehi signed to UnderCurrent Entertainment.[8]
In 2020, Vaidehi released a rap EP, Abhi Vs Kato, in collaboration with music producer Kato on the Track.
On 12 September 2021, Vaidehi released his third studio album, Abhi vs the Universe.[9] A limited-time cassette tape of the album was produced in a small quantity and sold on Vaidehi's Bandcamp page. In December 2021, nearly three months after the release of Abhi vs the Universe, a deluxe edition of the album was released on all platforms.[10]
On 3 August 2022, Abhi the Nomad announced a twenty-stop tour entitled Abhi the Nomad: Universe Tour. The tour ran for just over two months from 18 September 2022, to 20 November 2022, and saw support from singer-songwriter and TikTok influencer Charlie Curtis-Beard.[11]
On 6 January 2023, Vaidehi announced on Twitter and his Discord server that a second EP with Kato on the Track, Abhi vs Kato II: Gold Standard, (which would serve as a sequel to 2020's Abhi vs Kato) was in progress. The project's first single, entitled "Gordon Ramsay", was released on 27 January. The album's tracklist was released on 22 February, and the EP was released on 24 February.
On 3 April 2023, Vaidehi announced his fourth studio album, Abhi vs the Universe II: Heart of the Galaxy, with a short teaser released to his YouTube channel.[12] The album serves as a sequel to his third album, Abhi vs the Universe, and was released on 25 August 2023.
On 18 August 2023, an early release edition of Abhi vs the Universe II was put up for sale. It contained an early access digital edition of the album, a signed CD, a short film, and access to an exclusive livestream for fans.[citation needed] The album is supported by three singles, "Casanova", "Star Death", and "Top Ramen".
2024–present: Universe Goods Co. and Ice Cream Social
In 2024, Abhi the Nomad launched an independent label called Universe Goods Co., and subsequently formed a pop rap group called Ice Cream Social with his frequent collaborators, including singer Harrison Sands and producer Shane Doe. Their debut single "Hola" was released in January. Vaidehi also signed rapper Cooley Cal to the label.
Of his heritage, he stated in an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times "I'm not really complaining — being Indian's actually almost an advantage... but it'd be cool if a lot of Indians were prominent in hip-hop. They're not, and I don't know why."[4] Sridharan Vaidehi speaks French, Tamil and English.[14]
