When spirit and sound collide, there is an inevitable sum of soul. Singer/songwriter and model, Varsha Thapa has all these ingredients and marches to the beat of her own drum. Discussing the various ingredients that make up her world, she is a living example of the beautiful intersection of fashion and music. Her outlook on life is coupled with an urgency to do what you want and love right now instead of adopting a wait-and-see approach. “There’s no tomorrow, later, not even next hour or minute or second. Do it NOW because that’s all we have,” urges Thapa.
Words by Sandy Aziz.
Photographed by Edwin S Freyer. Styled by Alton Hetariki.
Makeup by Anna Inglis-Hall at Stella Creatives using Omorovicza.
Hair by Yoshi Miyazaki using Bumble and Bumble.
Casting by Dean Goodman. Varsha appears courtesy of Models1.
A Nepal native, Thapa grew up attending boarding schools in Nepal and India. Now, “[I] live in New York and travel the world when my job requires me to, so actually it’s almost like a nomadic experience and [I] haven’t found a home yet,” explains Thapa. Which is fitting, because Thapa emerges as a free spirit: a person who thinks and acts in an uninhibited way without worrying about normal social rules. Her best advice includes “always stay authentic” because she warns that the world will attempt to change us and “customize” us to its liking. “Never ever let go of your authenticity, that’s your superpower,” advocates Thapa. And it is exactly her authenticity that makes her so vibrant.
When it comes to sound, Thapa beautifully harmonizes her thoughts and uses music eloquently as
a vehicle for travel, therapy, and art. “Each time I’d sing a song, I’d travel to a different world and it made me happy. And music worked like therapy… I was mostly a loner in school, I got bullied and had no friends growing up so I poured my emotions into my diary which quickly turned into a sad emo book of poetry,” explains Thapa. The model believes in music as a true matrimony between words, sounds and visuals. Which is why “singing feels like putting all the powerful forces together and serving it on a platter and not just to yourself but to the world,” says Thapa.
Thapa’s public musical journey began in 2018 when she started performing shows in New York at Mercury Lounge and Rockwood Music Hall. Her musical library contains eastern and western references though she typically creates the vocal melody of a song first and that sets the tone. “I’d say my music style is melodic indie,” shares Thapa. She created her love song “Maaya” to fit any and all relationships – lovers, friends, family etc. “Maaya Timilai Jati garchu maile, teti ta gardaina kasaile, timi ma maile aafu lai paye are my favorite lyrics from ‘Maaya’.” The lyrics roughly translate to: my love no one can love you the way I love you, I have found myself in you.
Thapa also seeks a connection between music and fashion, “They have an unspoken bond as if one were giving energy and rhythm to another. Music has the power to create mood in human beings, especially creative beings who borrow that mood and infuse it into their concept and ideas.” The model grew up with music, but when she initially emailed her pictures to various New York modelling agencies, many never replied. It wasn’t until a friend suggested Thapa send her images to a small agency that she was connected and offered a contract. “I bought my one way ticket to New York and never looked back,” shares Thapa.
Varsha Thapa's interview appears in Spring Summer 2022 Issue 8.
Purchase your copy here
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