American singer-songwriter, producer, poet and theater artist Sheherazaad is stepping into the spotlight with Khudgarzi, her highly anticipated debut album, arriving November 20 via Erased Tapes. Now, she’s unveiled the record’s first single, “Andhera” (“Darkness”)—a haunting, goth hymn that turns heartbreak into something cosmic and beautifully strange.
Following her acclaimed 2024 EP Qasr, produced by Arooj Aftab, Khudgarzi explores the figure of the “Khudgarz Aurat,” or “Selfish Woman”—a woman whose desire for agency has historically come at a steep price. Rather than treating selfishness as a flaw, Sheherazaad embraces it as an act of survival and reclamation.
“Andhera” was written after Sheherazaad met the love of her life while still carrying the emotional residue of a previous relationship. Composed quietly in an ex’s coat closet, the song became, in her words, a “frilly goth anthem” dedicated to feminine darkness and the ancient cosmos.
The single arrives with an intimate a cappella live performance filmed by French filmmaker Vincent Moon in London’s Victoria Park, giving the song an especially raw and atmospheric frame.
Entirely self-produced and recorded across Brooklyn, London and California—with contributions from Istanbul, Islamabad and Trivandrum—Khudgarzi brings together more than 30 musicians, including Ria Modak, Sarathy Korwar, Jay Chakravorty, Shunya and Qasim Naqvi.
Written in the aftermath of a broken engagement, the album carries rage, guilt and rupture, but refuses tidy conclusions. Instead, Sheherazaad leaves room for ambiguity—and for listeners to consider where selfhood ends and sacrifice begins.
Khudgarzi is out November 20 via Erased Tapes and is available to pre-order/pre-save now. “Andhera” is streaming today.
