Between Beats and Bond, RANJ × Clifr are Quietly Building Their Music Blueprint

When Jazz Weekender 2025 drops its lights and sound this October, one name you’ll want to mark your schedule for is RANJ × Clifr;  a duo born from friendship, bound by musical curiosity, has evolved into one of the most original sounds in India’s indie scene.

Image Credits: RANJ X CLIFR

Backstage Beginnings

Back in college, Ranj and Clifr were just two friends obsessed with music, true melomaniacs who swapped scales, sampled silence, and chased musical ideas between lectures. Fast forward to today, and those same impulses have evolved into a genre-bending, stage-commanding project. Their foundation in jazz and classical traditions still shines through, yet they flow effortlessly into R&B, hip-hop, and electronica. 

Performing at Jazz Weekender feels like poetic justice for the duo. As Clipher Christopher puts it, “It’s a celebration of the music that brought us together, and the lineup at Jazz Weekender is always insane.” “Dhanji is performing, Marthe is performing on the same day, and Derek & the Cats are here too,  they’re from Bangalore, and our drummer used to play with them. It’s a full-circle moment,” says Ranjani Ramados.

Fluid, Rooted, and Relentless

Back in college, they were part of a jazz and Carnatic fusion band, constantly chasing new sounds and rhythms that couldn’t be boxed into one genre. That hunger to explore eventually shaped their artistic identity; fluid, grounded, and fearless. On stage, their music takes on a life of its own, slipping effortlessly between mellow R&B, soulful melodies, improvised jazz, and textured electronic layers, all anchored by a distinctly South Indian sensibility.

“Our live arrangements are nothing like the recordings,” says Clifr. “We flow from rage to R&B to jazz to prog, that blend is just who we are.”

What makes them captivating is their ability to shift gears without losing emotion. One moment they’re vulnerable and tender, the next they’re fierce and unpredictable. Jazz, after all, is about deviation, and this duo deviate beautifully.

Image Credits: RANJ X CLIFR

Creative Survival Toolkit

Even the most prolific artists hit creative walls, and RANJ × Clifr are no exception. When asked how they break through those moments of inertia, Clifr laughs and says it’s all about stepping away. “I’ll binge an episode of Kill Tony, spiral into a YouTube rabbit hole, and then step outside. It’s like giving my brain a timeout.”
RANJ’s method is quieter, more introspective. “I go back to the artists who made me fall in love with music in the first place,” she says. “It reminds me that I started this to enjoy creating, not to chase trends.”
For both, the answer lies in distance, knowing when to walk away just long enough to come back sharper, clearer, and ready to create again.

Image Credits: RANJ X CLIFR

Partnership and Professionalism

Working with your best friend sounds like a dream until the emails, deadlines, and creative differences start piling up. For RANJ × Clifr, balancing friendship and collaboration has been a journey of its own, one filled with disagreements, laughter, and a lot of growth.

“We were just two friends chilling and making music,” says Clifr. “But once it became our full-time job, we fought a lot.” RANJ laughs, adding, “We both want things our way sometimes. But we catch ourselves, apologize, and move on. We live together, so we’ve learned to evolve through it.”

Their honesty strengthens their music. Conflict doesn’t break them, it becomes another vector of texture and depth.

That trust translates into a sound that’s both playful and precise. Songs like Antihero, Work, 2 Good, and I’m Just a Woman For Real show how deeply they understand each other’s creative instincts. But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. “I regret not marketing our music enough when we started,” admits RANJ. “People won’t magically find your songs. You have to reach out, connect, and put yourself out there.” 

It’s advice they now live by through their exclusive newsletter, RXC Onlyfans, where they share behind-the-scenes notes, new music updates, and glimpses into their creative world.

Image Credits: RANJ X CLIFR

At Jazz Weekender and Beyond

As they prepare for their Jazz Weekender performance, the duo feels recharged by how the music scene has evolved. “It’s much more open now,” says RANJ. “Short-form content and new tools have made it easier for artists to experiment and find their niche. You don’t have to sound like everyone else anymore.”

For them, the thrill of performing live never fades. Every show is a mix of chaos and control, where small details matter, the lighting, the stage layout, and especially the sound check. “A proper sound check is everything,” says Clifr. “If it’s off, you can’t improvise or elevate the performance.”

This year, they’ll take the stage at Jazz Weekender on 12 October at 5:30 PM, just as the sun dips behind the trees. They’ll be joining a powerful lineup that includes Dhanji, Oreglo, Allysha Joy, Marthe, Meba, Derek and the Cats, and many more. With their new single 8oz of Pussy Juice out now, they’re ready to bring a new chapter of their sound to life.

RANJ × Clifr’s music is unapologetically original. It’s proof that you can mix worlds, languages, and emotions without losing your authenticity. “I’d tell new artists to stay true to what you’re making,” says Clifr. “Don’t change it to please someone else.”

At Jazz Weekender 2025, their set won’t just be another performance, it’ll be a statement. A reminder that friendship can be art, and that the most exciting music in India right now is being made by those who refuse to fit in.

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