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AUSTIN, TX- As I slid into a pew closer to the front, I took in the gorgeous architecture of Austin’s Central Presbyterian Church. The panels of stained glass elegantly dispersed the late afternoon light, marbling the rows of pews in graceful lines. The balcony seating hugged the sides of the sweeping church hall, and the giant wooden cross hanging directly behind the stage was drenched in colored rays from the high-arched windows. It was a stunning, reverent setting, and the perfect place to see Quiet Light perform her intimately spoken pop songs, nestled with lo-fi production and whispery background vocals.
Quiet Light is the electro-folk alter ego of Texas local singer-songwriter Riya Mahesh. Before she even sang a note, she had already created a mood. A laptop was set up center stage to run backing tracks, and just behind her sat an acoustic guitar waiting patiently. She stood still for most of the set, periodically adjusting knobs and cues on her laptop, letting her soft voice drift upward into the vaulted ceiling like incense. The music felt like a blend of Clairo’s delicate softness and the exploratory production of Imogen Heap. But Mahesh isn’t just mimicking her influences; she’s reassembling them. Her sound is an eclectic tasting menu of electronic, folk, bedroom pop, and indie, all filtered through a lo-fi lens. Each song unfolds like a kaleidoscope and always shifting. Always surprising.
There was something fascinating about how unbothered she seemed by the audience. It didn’t feel like she was performing to us, but rather that we were gently intruding on her creative space. Like watching someone lost in their own world, quietly sketching or painting, it felt deeply personal. Some might view that distance as aloofness, but it felt intentional… as if the performance itself was a meditative act. Between songs, she spoke sparingly, allowing her soundscape to carry the energy. And surprisingly, it did. Her presence was minimal, but it wasn’t lacking. Instead, her stillness became part of the artistry, inviting us into her carefully curated atmosphere.
My favorite part of the set came when she finally picked up the acoustic guitar. The production peeled back and gave way to a warmer, more direct intimacy. Her voice, slightly stronger and clearer in this stripped-back moment, felt more vulnerable and human. The lyrics, previously obscured by ambient textures, were suddenly in full view. One song in particular, “Whiplash 2”, stood out. It reminded me of a more ethereal Japanese House track, carried by layered ambient vocals and emotional undercurrent, but there was a tender hush in her delivery that made it uniquely hers.
While her songs often rely on intricate, ambient layering, it became clear that they don’t need it. The moments when we heard Riya without the veil of production were some of the most poignant. Still, the swirling sonic textures she crafts are undeniably beautiful, and paired with the celestial interior of Central Presbyterian Church, the effect was transcendent. The venue’s natural acoustics, combined with her hushed delivery, turned every note into something sacred.
For a brief moment, it felt like time slowed down. The outside noise of SXSW faded away, and we were suspended in a world of her making which quiet, contemplative, and shimmering with emotion. Quiet Light’s set wasn’t about spectacle or performance in the traditional sense. It was about creating a space to feel, to listen, and to let softness take up space. And in that church, bathed in the glow of stained glass, her music shined like sunlight refracting through the soul.
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