Music Review: “Speechless” by Sonali

Sonali Argade, 2012

Reviewed by Trista Thurston, 17
Ohio

Singer-songwriter Sonali Argade’s debut EP, Speechless, tells the tale of her life through meaningful lyrics and powerful guitar riffs. Her pop sound is infectious and catchy, and all five of her tracks have an individual theme that is poignant and relatable. Sonali is not your typical artist though. All of the proceeds from her single were donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the profits from her EP are headed to SmileTrain, an international charity that provides free cleft lip and palate surgery to hundreds of thousands of poor children in developing countries.

Her songs each tell a story about adolescence and budding romance. “Everything I write about is based either on what I see my friends and family go through or a personal experience, so I tend to write about relationships, family, and growing up,” she said in a recent interview with the Stoneman Douglas School Newspaper. I couldn’t have said it better myself; it is evident in the tone of her voice that the lyrics are incredibly meaningful to Sonali and directly relate to her life. She is versatile and multi-talented, as she plays keyboard, drums and bass.

This girl may be categorized as a pop performer, but all of her songs have a rock feel. “Road to Nowhere” is an angry ballad that calls out an imperfect lover, while “Just Wanna Love You” is a happier take on teen love. “This One's For You” reminds me of graduating, saying goodbye, and moving on, which may be Sonali’s inspiration. Of course, the single “Speechless” could be playing on radio airwaves right now. Not only is it that good, but it has all the characteristics of a great single: a memorable, unique title, a catchy chorus, interesting verses, and an upbeat sound, despite the twinge of pain and longing behind the words.

Sonali took a family vacation and watched Academy-Award-winning documentary Smile Pinki, not knowing it would inspire her to craft an EP worth listening to over and over. She has her own unique sound that fans of pop and rock alike will absolutely adore.