New Release • New York Independent Pop
A year of boxing training, a 16mm camera and a predominantly South Asian cast turn “cuckoo” into a statement about ambition, identity and artist ownership.
“cuckoo” treats the boxing ring as more than a visual hook. For prettyboyshav, it becomes the place where creative discipline, cultural visibility and the long work of building an independent career meet.
A boxing film built around motion
Released September 9 through Futures, “cuckoo” arrives with a video shot on 16mm by director Dane Ray. Filmed at Church Street Boxing Gym and on the steps of New York City Hall, the visual begins in suspended stillness before the artist’s first punch sets the world around him in motion.
The preparation was unusually literal: according to the campaign materials, Shav trained for 12 months with former world champions. That commitment gives the ring imagery weight. It is not costume; it is a record of repetition, patience and learning how to stay composed under pressure.
Putting a community in the center
The video’s predominantly South Asian cast makes its cultural focus clear. Born in New Delhi and later immigrating to the United States, prettyboyshav places Desi-American creatives in the foreground of a New York story rather than treating them as background texture.
That choice connects the release to his earlier work and to a broader question running through “cuckoo”: if the future unfolded on your own terms, what would it look like? Here, the answer includes visibility, collective momentum and room for a community to define itself.
The business behind the artist
The release also reflects Shav’s work beyond his own catalog. He leads Indify, a platform built around helping independent artists develop careers while retaining ownership. The boxing gloves shown in the video quietly connect the song’s personal ambition to that industry mission.
A forthcoming project will turn inward toward insecurity, consistency and the space between milestones. “cuckoo” is the first clear image of that next chapter: confident without pretending that confidence arrived easily.
Stream “cuckoo” through the artist’s official release page and watch the complete film on YouTube.
