Meghalaya rapper Reble talks Dhurandhar fame, women in music, K-pop collab
Rapper-singer Reble from Meghalaya, known for Dhurandhar, is making waves in India's independent music scene. In an exclusive chat, she talks about balancing artistic integrity with commercial success and reacts to speculations about her collaboration with K-pop artists and labels.
Rapper-singer Reble, aka Daiaphi Lamare, may have found nationwide recognition with Dhurandhar, but the fiercely independent artiste from Meghalaya says she remains focused on building a legacy that stretches far beyond a single breakout moment. Ahead of her performance at BUDX NBA House, the 24-year-old hip-hop artiste from Nangbah in West Jaintia Hills spoke exclusively to India Today about performing for unpredictable crowds, balancing commercial and independent music, and why she believes India’s music scene is only beginning to realise its global potential.
Known for her genre-bending soundscape, introspective lyricism and atmospheric tracks such as Move, Sorry, Midas, and Lost, Reble has steadily carved a niche for herself within India’s independent music circuit. However, Dhurandhar introduced her to an entirely new audience, catapulting her from an underground favourite to a rapidly rising national voice.
FAME AFTER DHURANDHAR
The magnetic performer admitted that life has changed significantly following Dhurandhar, particularly because she had always viewed herself as an artiste catering to a niche audience. “I never thought that I was one to make music for mass consumption because I’m more on the niche side of things,” she said, adding, “But making music for the masses was actually something I enjoyed. It was nice to make music for people across the country that everybody could enjoy because usually I just make music for a certain group of people.”
“When the offer came, it wasn’t an instant yes. But I really loved the script, and when I looked at the work being done, I instantly felt this was something huge for the country,” she recalled. “Once I understood that, I was definitely in.”
Even after the widespread visibility that followed, Reble insists she is not looking at Dhurandhar as the defining point of her career. Instead, she views it as one significant chapter in a much longer creative journey. “This was a good moment, and I was part of something very beautiful, but there’s still a lot more to do,” she exclaimed, adding with measured clarity, “If you’re dependent on other things doing well so that you can do well, then it becomes difficult to make a long-term impact.”
“There’s still a lot of growing left,” she continued. “It’s nice when things instantly go up, but from there it’s important to build your own. Otherwise, you’ll just be remembered for one thing.”
She will be performing in Delhi on May 9-10 alongside several noted artistes, Reble said the experience feels more exciting than overwhelming. “It’s just exciting. It’s a pretty cool experience and, you know, excited to see the diversity in the crowd,” she said, adding that her preparation process remains largely unchanged irrespective of the scale of the event.
Interestingly, Reble also admitted that she rarely gets attached to her older work because her focus constantly shifts towards what comes next creatively. “I’m always a fan of the next thing that I release,” she said. “Once I’m done with music, I get bored of it, and then the next thing becomes my favourite.”
So, what’s next for Reble? The “next thing,” she confirmed excitedly, is already underway. “I’m already in the process of releasing new music,” she shared. Praying Mantis, her upcoming EP, is set to release on May 7 and is expected to further explore her moody sonic identity while bridging commercial accessibility with deeply personal storytelling.
Speaking about the project, Reble hinted at an ambitious vision behind her upcoming body of work. “It’s a bridge between many things,” she explained. “There’s a lot of my personal work because I’m signed to a label and I have my album and EP that are supposed to be out.” The self-assured artiste further added, “I do believe that this work will go down in history in the future, if not now. I believe people will look back at it and appreciate it. I don’t seek instant appreciation. I believe it will age well.”
Alongside independent releases, Reble also revealed that she has been carefully selecting commercial projects that genuinely resonate with her artistic sensibilities. “A lot of offers (for films) do come, but I do pick them carefully because I want to like the script. I want to like what I’m being a part of,” she said.
BALANCING HER NORTH-EAST IDENTITY AND WOMEN IN MUSIC
As one of the emerging voices from Northeast India gaining wider recognition, Reble answered thoughtfully when asked if she feels a sense of responsibility representing Meghalaya and the region’s rich music culture. Rather than carrying the burden consciously, she prefers to let the work speak for itself. “If I think of too many things, then I forget what’s important,” she explained. “What’s important to me is making my music. When it reaches people, everything else happens on its own.”
She continued, “If I make good music, and it’s perceived well, then where I come from also gets recognition automatically. Even for my country, for my state, once I put out good work, the place where I come from eventually also gets the same recognition.”
She carried a similarly grounded perspective while discussing women in India’s independent music scene and the slow but visible evolution of the industry. “Everybody has to write off somebody, and I don’t think that needs to be the way. Women can pave their own way and make their own music,” she asserted confidently.
According to Reble, the current generation of musicians could eventually shape India’s global musical identity. “A lot of people who are present today are going to become big global names in the future,” she said optimistically. “It’s important for women to take part. It might not look very promising right now, but the more the better because someone’s definitely going to make it.”
K-POP COLLAB?
The rapper was recently spotted at the HYBE India pop-up in Guwahati with CEO Damien Woochang Lee. When asked about the same, she remained guarded about any possible collaborations connected to the label, but she hinted at excitement surrounding the company’s growing presence in the Indian market. “I can’t say much about (possible collaboration), but I’m definitely excited for them,” she said with a smile. “I think they’re going to do well.” She signed off saying “we’ll see,” when prompted to disclose any collaboration talks with HYBE.
Reble’s new music is set to be out on May 7.
Rapper-singer Reble, aka Daiaphi Lamare, may have found nationwide recognition with Dhurandhar, but the fiercely independent artiste from Meghalaya says she remains focused on building a legacy that stretches far beyond a single breakout moment. Ahead of her performance at BUDX NBA House, the 24-year-old hip-hop artiste from Nangbah in West Jaintia Hills spoke exclusively to India Today about performing for unpredictable crowds, balancing commercial and independent music, and why she believes India’s music scene is only beginning to realise its global potential.
Known for her genre-bending soundscape, introspective lyricism and atmospheric tracks such as Move, Sorry, Midas, and Lost, Reble has steadily carved a niche for herself within India’s independent music circuit. However, Dhurandhar introduced her to an entirely new audience, catapulting her from an underground favourite to a rapidly rising national voice.
FAME AFTER DHURANDHAR
The magnetic performer admitted that life has changed significantly following Dhurandhar, particularly because she had always viewed herself as an artiste catering to a niche audience. “I never thought that I was one to make music for mass consumption because I’m more on the niche side of things,” she said, adding, “But making music for the masses was actually something I enjoyed. It was nice to make music for people across the country that everybody could enjoy because usually I just make music for a certain group of people.”
“When the offer came, it wasn’t an instant yes. But I really loved the script, and when I looked at the work being done, I instantly felt this was something huge for the country,” she recalled. “Once I understood that, I was definitely in.”
Even after the widespread visibility that followed, Reble insists she is not looking at Dhurandhar as the defining point of her career. Instead, she views it as one significant chapter in a much longer creative journey. “This was a good moment, and I was part of something very beautiful, but there’s still a lot more to do,” she exclaimed, adding with measured clarity, “If you’re dependent on other things doing well so that you can do well, then it becomes difficult to make a long-term impact.”
“There’s still a lot of growing left,” she continued. “It’s nice when things instantly go up, but from there it’s important to build your own. Otherwise, you’ll just be remembered for one thing.”
She will be performing in Delhi on May 9-10 alongside several noted artistes, Reble said the experience feels more exciting than overwhelming. “It’s just exciting. It’s a pretty cool experience and, you know, excited to see the diversity in the crowd,” she said, adding that her preparation process remains largely unchanged irrespective of the scale of the event.
Interestingly, Reble also admitted that she rarely gets attached to her older work because her focus constantly shifts towards what comes next creatively. “I’m always a fan of the next thing that I release,” she said. “Once I’m done with music, I get bored of it, and then the next thing becomes my favourite.”
So, what’s next for Reble? The “next thing,” she confirmed excitedly, is already underway. “I’m already in the process of releasing new music,” she shared. Praying Mantis, her upcoming EP, is set to release on May 7 and is expected to further explore her moody sonic identity while bridging commercial accessibility with deeply personal storytelling.
Speaking about the project, Reble hinted at an ambitious vision behind her upcoming body of work. “It’s a bridge between many things,” she explained. “There’s a lot of my personal work because I’m signed to a label and I have my album and EP that are supposed to be out.” The self-assured artiste further added, “I do believe that this work will go down in history in the future, if not now. I believe people will look back at it and appreciate it. I don’t seek instant appreciation. I believe it will age well.”
Alongside independent releases, Reble also revealed that she has been carefully selecting commercial projects that genuinely resonate with her artistic sensibilities. “A lot of offers (for films) do come, but I do pick them carefully because I want to like the script. I want to like what I’m being a part of,” she said.
BALANCING HER NORTH-EAST IDENTITY AND WOMEN IN MUSIC
As one of the emerging voices from Northeast India gaining wider recognition, Reble answered thoughtfully when asked if she feels a sense of responsibility representing Meghalaya and the region’s rich music culture. Rather than carrying the burden consciously, she prefers to let the work speak for itself. “If I think of too many things, then I forget what’s important,” she explained. “What’s important to me is making my music. When it reaches people, everything else happens on its own.”
She continued, “If I make good music, and it’s perceived well, then where I come from also gets recognition automatically. Even for my country, for my state, once I put out good work, the place where I come from eventually also gets the same recognition.”
She carried a similarly grounded perspective while discussing women in India’s independent music scene and the slow but visible evolution of the industry. “Everybody has to write off somebody, and I don’t think that needs to be the way. Women can pave their own way and make their own music,” she asserted confidently.
According to Reble, the current generation of musicians could eventually shape India’s global musical identity. “A lot of people who are present today are going to become big global names in the future,” she said optimistically. “It’s important for women to take part. It might not look very promising right now, but the more the better because someone’s definitely going to make it.”
K-POP COLLAB?
The rapper was recently spotted at the HYBE India pop-up in Guwahati with CEO Damien Woochang Lee. When asked about the same, she remained guarded about any possible collaborations connected to the label, but she hinted at excitement surrounding the company’s growing presence in the Indian market. “I can’t say much about (possible collaboration), but I’m definitely excited for them,” she said with a smile. “I think they’re going to do well.” She signed off saying “we’ll see,” when prompted to disclose any collaboration talks with HYBE.
Reble’s new music is set to be out on May 7.
