HELLO! India Exclusive: What makes Daiaphi Lamare a 'Reble' without a pause

The brash but self-assured undertone in the rap-laced songs of the 'Dhurandhar' franchise were woven in with intention. This is precisely how Reble, the 26-year-old Meghalayan rapper behind the dynamic vocal style, wants her music to be identified — cocky and confident. “‘Reble’ isn’t just an image I want to project — it’s a statement, a mindset I inculcated by going against the grain,” the petite artiste asserts. “When I started writing, my songs and their rendition became an expression of what I’d feel in the moment — frustration with rigid systems, classicism, and the pressure to follow the usual path — besides the need to stay true to myself.”

A DATE WITH DHURANDHAR

Born Daiaphe Lamare — Daia to her friends and Reble to the world — her journey to the Bollywood spotlight is quite interesting, given the minimal (to no) representation the Northeast receives in the music industry. “It’s not that the Indian crowd isn’t receptive to our music.

It’s more the people at the top — the management and sponsors who refuse to put Northeastern talent on the map and give them the right exposure,” she says, unapologetically. National Award-winning composer Shashwat Sachdev, however, was familiar with her style and wanted that identifiable edge in the Aditya Dhar directorials. “The songs needed ferocity, which is undeterred. If you hear my project Entropy, you’ll gauge how the personalities of the works align. There’s randomness but character,” she says. “Dhurandhar feels personal because it all happened naturally and not through any planning or networking.

I’m really grateful for how everything unfolded. There wasn’t a rigid brief. We just got into the zone and did what we do best.” While mixing the tracks, Reble and Shashwat also recognised the musical chemistry they shared. “Even though we were deviating from the formulaic Hindi film music, it never felt forced. It was all smooth, natural, and so liberating to infuse my unfiltered style into the songs.”

MOULD-BREAKING MUSIC

The musical methodology we witness in 'Dhurandhar' is certainly tinged with rebellion — a trait that has powered her personality. She grew up in the hills of Nongbah in Meghalaya, where everyone knows everyone. In fact, being from a small town automatically puts a fire in you, she admits.

“The goal is always to dream big. In that village, I saw conventions, prejudices, and restrictions around me, especially with kids trying to fit in based on how much money their parents made. That unfairness irked me. But gradually, this anger segued into a determination that fuelled my urge to pen pertinent lyrics. “That environment instilled resilience in me but I also understood the importance of individuality and authenticity. I am proud that I am true to who I am.

THE FIRST DRAFT

The singer was really young, perhaps 10 or 11, when music first drifted into her life. One of her earliest memories that stuck with her was a tune she heard on an old wired telephone. 

“I always loved music. Hip-hop, however, felt like freedom of speech and eventually became my mode of overnight. It happened in due course without too much pontification.” While she kept making music that felt real to her, dropped tracks independently, and stayed active, Reble trusted the universe to take her work to the right audience. Never one to chase algorithms or force anything that didn’t feel natural, she focussed on creating, motivated by the fulfillment invoked by organic growth.

NOTES OF CHANGE

Although the singer-songwriter drops new tracks consistently, she does believe the Indian music scene requires more independent labels, especially in regions like the Northeast. “We need more local festivals with homegrown line-ups and genuine support between artistes. The scene is evolving, and as long as we keep creating authentically, things will move in the right direction.

“People are becoming open to new sounds every day. I’d suggest they listen to my music with an open mind. My art educates and connects over a period of time,” she says, explaining further that the Indian audience is ready for a diverse genre of music, but developing a defined taste is a gradual process.

FUTURE FORWARD

As the usual trope goes — “Indian family against the child taking up arts in any form” — her family, too, was initially sceptical of her branching into music, straying from the expected engineering route. “They are now happy and supportive! But parents do worry, especially in a place like Nongbah, where we were brought up conditioned to aspire for stable jobs. I completed my BTech in Civil Engineering and was convinced that I’d end up in a 9-to-5 job. I was confident I’d clear the entrance exams, but music gave me the flexibility I craved, and that was enough reason to switch.” With her promising growth trajectory, Reble is quick to credit her personal experiences, her roots, observations, and the people around her for being perennial sources of inspiration. Though when the going gets hectic, the singer-songwriter rewires with simple pleasures — sleep, good food, workouts, sundry chores, and browsing through old books on engineering.

“That’s mental stimulation for me as I still love science and classic physics. I also listen to Eminem, Linkin Park, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bring Me The Horizon, André 3000, Weezer, Kanye, Biggie, and many more amazing artistes and bands.”

With back-to-back successes logged in her journal, Reble isn’t planning too much for now. “I never do that. My goal is to break boundaries with art that feels true. I’m open to collaborations, national and international, as long as the energy is right.”

This story was featured in the Vol 1. Issue 9 of HELLO! India. For more exclusive stories, subscribe to the magazine here.