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Forward of Signature Packaged Consuming Water presents Ziro On Tour, Taba Chake displays on his journey, the struggles behind his breakout album, and his dedication to authenticity throughout an unique interview.
From practically quitting music to creating the phenomenon Bombay Desires with over 12.2 million streams, Taba Chake redefined India’s indie scene.
Hailing from the picturesque village of Rono in Arunachal Pradesh, Taba Chake isn’t your common singer-songwriter. Armed with a guitar, a deep connection to nature, and a knack for weaving multilingual magic, he’s the Nyishi fingerstyle guitarist who’s taking India’s indie scene by storm. Fluent in Nyishi, Hindi, English, Nepali, and Assamese, Taba crafts songs that transcend boundaries—each linguistic and emotional—making him probably the most genuine voices in Indian music as we speak.
Beginning his musical journey at six and penning his first songs by eleven, Taba’s story is as enchanting as his melodies. His debut EP, Bond with Nature (2016), gave listeners a glimpse into his world—a novel mix of tribal folklore and up to date sounds. But it surely was his 2019 album, Bombay Desires, that really showcased his genius. With tracks like Meri Dastaan and That is the Day—each years within the making—Taba’s dedication to storytelling and soulful melodies was unmistakable.
Taba’s music isn’t nearly sounds; it’s a love letter to his roots. Drawing inspiration from the luxurious landscapes of Arunachal Pradesh, birdsong, and tribal folklore, his percussive guitar enjoying and heartfelt vocals transport listeners to a different world. Whether or not on the iconic Ziro Competition of Music or onstage at Ragasthan, Taba has made waves throughout India, leaving audiences captivated.
In 2024, Taba made a stunning leap into Bollywood, composing music for Shoojit Sircar’s I Need To Discuss, starring Abhishek Bachchan. Whereas he nonetheless calls indie music his dwelling, this milestone confirmed his means to mix his distinctive fashion into mainstream cinema, additional broadening his inventive horizons.
Now, Taba Chake is able to appeal Hyderabad on the Ziro On Tour pageant, a first-of-its-kind initiative by Signature Packaged Consuming Water and Ziro Competition of Music. Taking the magic of India’s most eco-friendly music pageant past Arunachal Pradesh, Ziro On Tour is ready to dazzle audiences on the historic Taramati Baradari on February 1st and 2nd, 2025. With its mix of music, sustainability, and cultural immersion, this occasion guarantees to lift a toast to group spirit and conscious dwelling.
In an unique dialog with News18 Showsha, Taba opened up about his musical journey, the years it took to craft Bombay Desires, and the way he virtually gave up on music—solely to return again stronger. From visualizing his songs to getting ready for his efficiency at Ziro On Tour, Taba Chake’s story is proof that music, when rooted in authenticity, has the ability to bridge worlds and contact hearts.
Listed below are the excerpts:
Let’s begin with the Ziro Competition of Music. What are your ideas on the thought of taking it past Arunachal Pradesh to a metropolis like Hyderabad? Do you suppose it might join with a complete new viewers?
Completely, I’ve little doubt about it. Music transcends boundaries—it’s one thing that resonates with everybody, irrespective of the place or language. A metropolis like Hyderabad has such a vibrant and various crowd, so bringing the Ziro Competition there would undoubtedly open it as much as a complete new viewers. I imagine this could possibly be an enormous hit. If the organizers resolve to increase and make the Ziro Tour an everyday factor, I’m certain it could proceed to develop in recognition yr after yr. It’s all about sharing that unbelievable power and spirit of the pageant with extra individuals, and I believe Hyderabad is the right place to start out.
Signature Packaged Consuming Water is supporting sustainability at Ziro On Tour. As an artist and storyteller, how do you are feeling about sustainability being woven into the pageant’s narrative?
I believe it’s an unbelievable initiative. As an artist, sustainability resonates deeply with me as a result of it aligns with the tales I need to inform and the legacy I hope to depart behind. I usually inform my staff that after we’re planning one thing—whether or not it’s a tour or a mission—we try to suppose past the standard. We would like one thing distinctive, one thing significant, and most significantly, one thing inexperienced. It’s essential for us to include recycled and sustainable components, not only for the sake of doing it however as a result of it displays the place I come from and the values embedded in my music.
What Signature Packaged Consuming Water is doing at The Ziro Competition — tying sustainability into its core narrative — is really inspiring. I do know it’s not straightforward; challenges are sure to return up, and issues may not at all times go in line with plan. However these efforts, over time, will result in one thing unbelievable. It’s a journey, and I believe initiatives like these set an instance for different festivals and occasions around the globe. It’s a fantastic transfer, and I’m genuinely excited to see the way it evolves within the coming years.
Taba, you grew up in Rono, surrounded by the wealthy Nyishi heritage and village life. How did that atmosphere form your early understanding of music and artwork? Are there any particular recollections from these adolescence that stand out to you?
Actually, most of my recollections from that point are tied to highschool and hostel life. I spent numerous time in hostels, and, to be sincere, I used to be a fairly naughty child. I bear in mind moving into bother fairly a bit—our principal and lecturers didn’t go straightforward on me! In a hostel, you couldn’t simply bunk courses or sneak away; as soon as college ended, you have been again to the hostel. That strict routine didn’t depart a lot room for escape.
However what actually stood out for me throughout these years have been the music courses. These have been my favourite moments. Within the evenings, our warden and a gospel trainer would educate us songs—stuff like MLTR and different traditional old-school bands. These classes have been particular to me and left a long-lasting impression. Even now, I can recall these instances clearly. It wasn’t simply concerning the music; it was concerning the connection and pleasure it introduced in an in any other case structured life.
Your dad and mom emphasised the significance of tribal folklore and nature as you have been rising up. Is there a specific story, pageant, or reminiscence from that point that continues to encourage your music as we speak?
Completely. My dwelling could be very near a floor the place our group celebrates festivals, particularly the Nyokum Competition, which is the largest pageant for the Nyishi tribe. It’s arduous to explain how shut it’s—possibly 10 meters or about 20 steps from my home. Yearly in the course of the pageant, neighboring villages and elders would collect for rituals, singing, and dancing.
Rising up, I used to be surrounded by these moments. I bear in mind listening to the elders sing conventional folks songs and watching them carry out dances that carried a lot which means. These experiences felt so alive, so related to the roots of who we’re as a group. At any time when we received a break from college and got here dwelling, the pageant time was at all times the spotlight for me.
These recollections—the sounds, the visuals, the power—have stayed with me and undoubtedly formed my music and songwriting. They gave me a deep sense of belonging and appreciation for storytelling, which I attempt to carry into my artwork as we speak.
You began training music on the age of six, which is unbelievable. Who have been a few of your earliest musical influences, and the way did they form the artist you’re as we speak?
It’s a bit arduous to pinpoint only one affect or one path, truthfully. I believe it’s all interconnected—the music I listened to, the experiences I went via, and the feelings I felt rising up. All of them formed me in several methods.
At that age, it wasn’t nearly listening to nice songs; it was about how these songs aligned with what was taking place in my life. The feelings, the issues I noticed and heard, and the emotions I used to be making an attempt to know as a child—all of them blended along with the music I used to be uncovered to.
It wasn’t nearly particular artists or genres. It was concerning the journey—the way in which music grew to become a soundtrack to my life. So, in a approach, it’s tough for me to choose only one path or affect as a result of all of them labored collectively to form who I’m as an artist. It’s this mix of life experiences and the music I grew up listening to that molded me into the particular person and musician I’m as we speak.
You used to play in a steel band, which is such a special world from the music you’re creating now as a solo artist. What made you are taking that leap right into a solo profession, particularly on this specific style? Was there a selected turning level that impressed the change?
The transition was gradual however inevitable. Even again once I was within the steel band, I at all times had a deep curiosity in composition. I didn’t know the time period “composer” on the time, however I knew I wished to create music—not simply play it. I might write riffs, melodies, and solos for the band, which gave me a basis in creating music from scratch.
The turning level got here from the challenges of being in a band. Bands usually face struggles—whether or not it’s a drummer coping with private points, a guitarist caught up at school, or different logistical issues. It felt like each observe or present got here with hurdles, and I started to really feel a bit worn out. I noticed that to develop as an artist and to remain constant, I wanted to take full management of my inventive journey.
That’s once I determined to go solo. It was a leap of religion, but it surely allowed me to focus fully on my music with out the dependencies or distractions that include being in a band. The humorous factor is, again within the steel band, I wasn’t even a singer. I might sing casually—like within the toilet or once I was alone—however I by no means noticed myself as a vocalist.
After I began my solo profession, I needed to step out of my consolation zone and observe singing. I needed to learn to hit the precise pitches and refine my voice as a result of it was the one strategy to deliver my compositions to life. Whereas the style I’m in now could be very completely different from steel, my time within the band taught me the self-discipline and strategies I wanted to compose music. Going solo has been a journey of self-discovery, and it gave me the liberty to create music that really displays who I’m.
Your debut EP, Born with Nature, explored deeply private themes like love, loneliness, and unity, whereas additionally presenting a novel acoustic folk-centric soundscape. What impressed you to delve into these introspective themes, and the way did you weave them into such a particular musical fashion?
The inspiration got here from a mixture of the music I used to be listening to on the time and my private connection to nature and introspection. I used to be exploring numerous completely different types—shifting away from the traditional rock sounds I grew up with and diving into jazz, world music, and even conventional types like konnakol. I discovered myself drawn to a mixture of influences, from Chinese language and Japanese melodies to Indian folks components. This mix of types gave the EP its distinctive and genre-defying sound.
For instance, the track Ngo Akin, which is sung in my native language, has robust jazz undertones paired with a contact of folks. It’s a mixture that feels natural and trendy on the similar time, which was actually essential to me. It was additionally one of many first Arunachali folk-inspired songs aimed on the youth and one of many first to make it onto streaming platforms like iTunes. That felt like a giant step—modernizing conventional music and bringing it to a wider viewers in a approach that felt genuine.
The title of the EP, Born with Nature, was truly impressed by a e-book I used to be studying on the time by Ruskin Bond known as Bond with Nature. After I learn it, one thing clicked. I’m from the hills, and the way in which he wrote about his connection to the pure world actually resonated with me. It felt like the right strategy to seize the essence of the music I used to be creating.
The themes of affection, loneliness, and unity naturally emerged from my private experiences and reflections throughout that point. Being surrounded by the hills and nature the place I grew up helped me translate these feelings into music. It was an extremely private mission, and mixing these themes right into a soundscape that pulled from so many influences felt like essentially the most sincere strategy to inform my story.
Your fingerstyle guitar enjoying has turn into a signature a part of your music. How did you develop this distinctive fashion, and the way does it mirror your private connection to the instrument and your storytelling?
I hadn’t actually considered it that approach till now, however my fingerstyle enjoying undoubtedly developed from my love of various musical influences. I used to be at all times exploring completely different genres and listening to unbelievable instrumentalists. One artist who had a huge effect on me was Guthrie Govan—a rare guitarist. Again in 2006-2007, he was simply rising, and I used to be blown away by his abilities. Earlier than that, I used to be additionally impressed by legends like Steve Vai. These artists made me need to turn into a world-class guitar participant, somebody recognized for his or her method and the distinctive voice they create to the instrument.
Throughout my time within the band, the main target was on being a fantastic guitarist and showcasing technical abilities, however because the band dissolved, I began considering otherwise. Going solo gave me the liberty to shift from purely technical enjoying to one thing extra expressive and melodic. That’s once I began specializing in composing music that advised a narrative, mixing fingerstyle strategies with melodies that felt extra private and significant.
Fingerstyle enjoying grew to become my approach of connecting deeply with the guitar—it felt intimate, like having a dialog with the instrument. It allowed me to layer rhythm, melody, and concord suddenly, which is ideal for storytelling via music. Every be aware and sample carries its personal emotion, and that’s how I categorical my connection to the tales I need to share. It’s much less about exhibiting off ability now and extra about creating one thing that resonates emotionally with listeners.
You moved to Bombay in 2018, and town had a huge effect in your first album, Bombay Desires. How did dwelling in Bombay form the sound and tales within the album?
Shifting to Bombay was like entering into a totally completely different world. Rising up in Arunachal Pradesh, surrounded by hills and the slower tempo of life, I couldn’t even think about dwelling in a metropolis like Bombay. The primary time I arrived, I assumed, This place is unimaginable. It’s surrounded by buildings, stuffed with individuals at all times on the transfer—it felt chaotic, quick, and overwhelming.
We’ve all grown up watching Bollywood movies, and so they present Bombay in so some ways—the slums, the glamour, the underworld dons. However experiencing it firsthand was one thing else fully. For somebody like me, coming from the calm and ease of the mountains, making an attempt to adapt to the hustle and grind of a metropolis like Bombay felt virtually unimaginable.
Initially, I moved there as a result of I wished to turn into a composer. I began composing music for others—melodies, advert jingles, and another small initiatives. But it surely was exhausting. Everybody had an opinion—the director wished one factor, the editor wished one other—it felt like everybody was making an attempt to direct the music. There have been no credit for the work I did, and truthfully, I didn’t care about that as a result of I used to be nonetheless looking for my footing. However the course of itself was draining.
The tempo of Bombay life was so completely different from what I used to be used to. Again dwelling in Arunachal, life strikes at a slower, extra pure rhythm. It’s not gradual in a nasty approach—it’s peaceable. You may breathe clear air, really feel the calm, and dwell with out the fixed stress of “what’s subsequent?” In Bombay, persons are born into the hustle. They develop up with it, they dwell it, and so they thrive in it. For somebody like me, coming from a spot the place life is all about stillness and connection, making an attempt to maintain up with that sort of hustle felt like I used to be dropping myself.
At one level, I simply determined I couldn’t do it anymore. I didn’t need to hold operating after alternatives or making an attempt to suit right into a system the place I didn’t belong. That’s once I determined to create Bombay Desires. It was my final try, my last mission as a musician. I wished to put in writing one thing that got here straight from my coronary heart—no compromises, no exterior pressures. I poured every little thing into that album—all my emotions about Bombay, the chaos, the sweetness, the exhaustion, and the inspiration.
I didn’t need to proceed with music after that. I used to be bored with making an attempt to suit into the mildew of what a musician within the metropolis needs to be. I wasn’t made for the fixed hustle. However sarcastically, Bombay Desires grew to become one thing individuals related with. It grew in a approach I didn’t anticipate. Regardless that I used to be able to let go of music, this album gave me a brand new sense of objective.
For me, Bombay Desires was a mirrored image of every little thing I went via in that metropolis. It’s not simply an album—it’s a journey, a chunk of my soul that I made a decision to share with the world, even once I thought it could be my final.
I learn that two tracks from Bombay Desires, Meri Dastaan and That is the Day, took practically eight years to finish. What was that journey like, and why did it take so lengthy to complete them?
Sure, it’s true—these tracks took virtually eight years to return collectively. The journey behind them was lengthy and layered. Meri Dastaan was truly composed approach again in 2011. On the time, I had written the intro and the primary verse, however I by no means completed the track. I wasn’t in a rush—I felt prefer it wasn’t the precise time to finish or launch it.
Wanting again, I believe every little thing occurred for a purpose. If I had launched the track in 2011, it may not have resonated the way in which it does now. Again then, the indie music scene in India wasn’t as vibrant as it’s as we speak. Releasing it in 2019 felt like the precise second—not only for the track, however for me as an artist. The indie scene was rising, and folks have been extra open to discovering new voices and sounds.
The delay wasn’t nearly timing, although. It was additionally about my private progress. Over these years, my experiences and feelings developed, and I used to be in a position to deliver extra depth and which means to the songs. By the point I revisited Meri Dastaan and That is the Day, I might see the items extra clearly and provides them the ending touches they wanted.
The eight-year journey wasn’t nearly writing a track—it was about letting life form the music. Generally, songs aren’t prepared till you’re, and I believe these two tracks mirror that completely. They’re a product of persistence, progress, and discovering the precise second to inform your story.
The music video for My Different Aspect featured a half-human, half-cat character, which was such a novel and kooky thought. What impressed you to take this inventive method for the video?
The thought for My Different Aspect actually got here from the idea behind the track itself. Once you write a track, you may need one interpretation in thoughts, however each listener brings their very own experiences and views to it. They relate it to their very own lives, typically in methods the songwriter may not have imagined. That’s the great thing about music—it’s private but common.
With My Different Aspect, I wished to discover the thought of duality—the 2 sides that exist inside each particular person. Most of us have a aspect that we present to the world—our household, mates, and family members—and one other aspect that continues to be hidden. Not as a result of we’re deliberately hiding it, however as a result of it doesn’t naturally come out. It’s that a part of you that even your closest mates or household would possibly by no means absolutely see.
The half-human, half-cat character within the video was a strategy to visually characterize that hidden aspect. Cats are mysterious creatures—they’re unbiased, unpredictable, and sometimes embody a way of curiosity and secrecy. Combining a human physique with a cat’s head was our approach of symbolizing that hidden, whimsical, and enigmatic a part of ourselves that exists slightly below the floor.
It was a inventive and summary strategy to deliver the track’s message to life. As an alternative of taking a literal method, we wished to create one thing that sparks curiosity and encourages individuals to consider their very own “different aspect.” The idea resonated with me, and I believe it added a novel layer to the storytelling within the video.
How essential are visuals to you on the subject of complementing the storytelling side of your music?
Visuals are extremely essential to me—they’re an extension of the storytelling course of. After I write a track, I don’t simply hear the music; I see it. Each scene, each reduce, each body—I visualize all of it as if I’m making a music video in my thoughts.
For instance, Udd Chala, I used to be very clear concerning the idea. I had a imaginative and prescient of a narrative the place the man is from outdoors and the woman is from the Northeast. It was a story I felt strongly about, and I insisted on sticking to it even when the director and author introduced different concepts to the desk. I knew precisely what I wished to convey visually, and I made certain we stayed true to that imaginative and prescient.
That is how I method all my music. For each track I write, there’s at all times a visible narrative enjoying in my thoughts, even when it by no means will get made into an precise video. I believe this connection between music and visuals is what makes the storytelling extra impactful—it offers the viewers one thing to really feel and picture past the lyrics and melody.
I’ll admit, I generally is a little bit of a headache for administrators as a result of I’m very specific about my concepts. But it surely’s as a result of I imagine the visuals are simply as essential because the track itself in telling the whole story.
Your album Bombay Desires garnered over 12.2 million streams and was broadly praised. You’ve talked about that you just have been able to stop music after releasing it. How did the success of the album impression your confidence and your journey as an unbiased artist?
The success of Bombay Desires was surreal, and it utterly modified my perspective on music and my profession. After the album, my first main present was in Delhi, and I bear in mind the organizers telling me, “Individuals are coming particularly to see you reside.” That one sentence hit me otherwise. I couldn’t imagine it—me? Folks have been coming simply to observe me carry out? That was one thing I by no means imagined.
For me, it was unimaginable. I used to suppose, “Who’s Taba Chake? Who even cares?” However abruptly, Meri Dastaan was a success, Stroll With Me was being acknowledged globally, and I began getting emails from labels like Columbia Information within the U.S. To them, I used to be a “Japanese artist.” They’d no thought I used to be Indian. After I advised them the place I used to be from, they have been shocked—“How do you communicate so many languages? How will you be Indian?” They thought Taba Chake was some Japanese musician dwelling in Bombay!
The turning level was in the course of the Delhi present when the gang sang Shayad with me. I used to be overwhelmed. I didn’t present it to anybody on the time, however I used to be crying on stage. Not the dramatic sort of tears, however the sort that simply move naturally if you’re hit with the belief that individuals join so deeply together with your music. That second made me pause and suppose, “This was speculated to be my final mission. I didn’t even need to proceed making music after this. How did this occur?”
The success of Bombay Desires wasn’t simply concerning the numbers or recognition—it was about feeling seen and understood as an artist. It gave me a brand new sense of objective and confidence. Regardless that I used to be able to stop music, the connection individuals present in my songs jogged my memory why I began within the first place. It wasn’t simply my music anymore—it grew to become theirs, and that’s what retains me going.
Many followers have described Bombay Desires as the beginning of a brand new period in Indie music. How does suggestions like that make you are feeling as an artist? And the way do you join together with your followers on such a deep degree?
That sort of suggestions is overwhelming, and truthfully, it’s arduous to course of typically. I’ve by no means consciously thought of beginning a “new period” in music—I simply write songs that really feel actual to me. I write from the center, and I attempt to be as sincere as potential. I’m not curious about creating one thing that feels pretend or disconnected from actuality. My objective is to mirror the true world in my music, not some idealized or unattainable model of it.
I believe that honesty is what resonates with individuals. When listeners come to my YouTube channel or stream my songs, I would like them to really feel like they’re entering into an area that’s real, not fabricated. I would like them to really feel understood, like they’re being reminded of their very own experiences and feelings.
Regardless that my followers in all probability take heed to a variety of artists—from Katy Perry to indie artists—there’s one thing about authenticity that cuts via all genres. I believe that’s why they join with my music—it doesn’t attempt to take them to a fantasy world; as a substitute, it grounds them in the true world. It’s about accepting life for what it’s, with all its magnificence and struggles, and discovering which means in that.
I’m extremely grateful for the connection I’ve with my followers. I may not have a giant technique for find out how to construct these relationships, however I believe staying sincere and writing from a spot of reality naturally creates that bond. It’s humbling to know that individuals see themselves in my music, and that connection is what drives me to maintain creating.
One among my favourite songs is Natkhat Nadiya, the place you collaborated with Shantanu Moitra and Maati Bani. What’s the story behind the track, and the way was the expertise of making it?
Thanks for saying that—it means loads! Natkhat Nadiya was an unbelievable mission, and dealing with Shantanu Moitra and Maati Bani was a privilege. The track was primarily composed by Shantanu Moitra, who’s an absolute genius. My contribution to the track was truly fairly small, but it surely was significant to me.
When Shantanu first approached me, he wished me to sing the Hindi traces. I advised him, “Sir, I’m from the Northeast, I look completely different, and my music attracts closely from my roots. If I sing this fully in Hindi, I’ll simply sound like every other artist.” I felt strongly that together with traces in Nyishi, my native language, would give the track a novel identification. It could mirror the place I come from and make the track stand out. Shantanu utterly supported that concept, and that’s how the track grew to become this lovely fusion.
Shantanu is really certainly one of a sort. He’s not a historically skilled musician—he doesn’t depend on idea or construction, however his understanding of music and storytelling is unparalleled. He’s somebody I’ve discovered a lot from. He has this fashion of seeing potential in folks that even they may not see in themselves.
Actually, he as soon as advised me, “Taba, I do know your songs join with the youth, however I imagine you’ve got extra to present to the world.” That actually caught with me. It’s humbling when somebody like him believes in you that a lot, particularly if you really feel such as you don’t belong in the identical room as different, extra skilled and established artists.
For instance, once I carried out with him at NCPA in Bombay, I used to be sharing the stage with legends like Mohit Chauhan and Sid Sriram. These are artists who’ve been skilled their whole lives—they’re good musicians. After which there was me, standing there and questioning, “Why am I right here? What do I’ve to supply in comparison with them?” I even requested Shantanu, “Why me?” And his reply was easy: “You’re right here since you deliver one thing actual, one thing completely different.”
That whole expertise bolstered the concept that authenticity issues in music. Engaged on Natkhat Nadiya and collaborating with Shantanu Moitra has been probably the most fulfilling and humbling experiences of my profession. It jogged my memory to belief in my voice and my roots, irrespective of how completely different they could appear.
Composing for Shoojit Sircar’s I Need To Discuss marked your entry into mainstream Bollywood. How was creating music for a movie completely different out of your unbiased initiatives?
Engaged on I Need To Discuss with Shoojit Sircar was a totally completely different expertise from my unbiased initiatives. Shoojit Sircar is such a novel filmmaker—his movies are very actual, refined, and grounded. That’s additionally why he approached me for the mission. He felt my fashion of music aligned with the story he wished to inform.
At first, I didn’t even know who Shoojit Sircar was. To be sincere, many individuals solely know massive Bollywood names like Karan Johar or main actors, however they don’t at all times know concerning the administrators and creators behind the scenes. I used to be in my village on the time, harvesting ginger with my household, once I received a name from his staff. They stated they have been engaged on a movie and wished me to compose for it. I assumed, Okay, narrate the story, and I’ll see if I can do it.
Every week later, they flew me to Bombay, booked my lodge, and I went to his workplace for a narration. That’s once I realized who Shoojit Sircar actually was. His workplace had posters of Piku, October, and Madras Cafe, and I abruptly related the dots. I had seen Madras Cafe and completely beloved it—particularly how he received such a robust efficiency from John Abraham. That movie was certainly one of my favorites, however I hadn’t related it to Shoojit on the time.
What actually struck me was the way in which he narrated the story of I Need To Discuss. He didn’t simply speak concerning the script—he painted an image, like he was crafting a dwelling, respiratory world. It wasn’t only a mission for him; it was private. I felt that, and it resonated with me. That’s once I knew I wished to tackle the mission, not for the cash however as a result of it felt significant.
The method of composing for a movie was very completely different from working alone music. In unbiased initiatives, I’ve full inventive freedom—it’s all about what I need to categorical. However with a movie, you’re half of a bigger story. The music isn’t nearly your feelings; it’s about supporting the narrative and complementing the director’s imaginative and prescient. Shoojit gave me time to experiment, and I took the mission dwelling, labored on it, and introduced again some compositions.
Curiously, Shantanu Moitra, who I’ve labored with earlier than, was the composer for the movie. It felt like such a coincidence, and it was superb to collaborate with him and Shoojit on the identical mission. Each of them are good in their very own methods—Shoojit as a storyteller and Shantanu as a composer.
General, this expertise taught me find out how to stability my very own inventive instincts with the calls for of storytelling in movie. It was difficult however deeply rewarding, and it gave me a brand new perspective on how music can form a narrative.
Songs like Gum Ho Kahan, Dil Ghabraye, and Manzil Ki Ore are extremely advanced, tackling layered feelings. How lengthy did it take to put in writing these songs, and what was your songwriting course of like?
It took me round six or seven months to complete these songs. The method was intense however deeply rewarding. After I first met Shoojit Sircar, he was narrating the story to me, and nothing had been shot but. He advised me he beloved songs like Shayad and Meri Dastaan, and he wished to attempt one thing completely different for this mission—one thing past the standard mainstream fashion.
Shoojit was very clear that he wished an unbiased artist who might deliver recent concepts to the desk, however he additionally stated most indie artists are likely to play it secure. He felt my music had a special edge and that I might seize the emotional depth the movie required. That was each humbling and numerous stress as a result of it set a excessive bar from the start.
The problem was understanding the story’s emotional core. With out the visuals initially, I needed to depend on his narration and dive into the layers of feelings he wished to painting. I labored on phrases, melodies, and buildings that felt true to the story. As soon as I noticed some cuts and visuals from the movie, issues began turning into clearer. It was just like the items of the puzzle began to fall into place.
Every track required me to channel advanced feelings—grief, hope, uncertainty—and to take action in a approach that felt genuine and natural to the movie’s narrative. It wasn’t nearly writing songs; it was about writing for the story. That’s what made the method so completely different from my ordinary songwriting.
Shoojit’s belief in me as a songwriter made an enormous distinction. He inspired me to remain true to my very own fashion whereas aligning with the movie’s imaginative and prescient. It was a collaborative course of, however one which pushed me to develop creatively. Ultimately, these six or seven months felt price each second as a result of the songs got here from a spot of honesty and understanding.
What was your expertise like working with Abhishek Bachchan? Did you’ve got any memorable interactions with him?
Working with Abhishek Bachchan was an unbelievable expertise. He’s such a humble and grounded particular person, which actually stood out to me. One second that basically caught with me was in the course of the screening—he was surprisingly nervous. It’s not one thing you anticipate from somebody together with his degree of expertise, but it surely exhibits how a lot he genuinely cares about his work and the way invested he’s within the end result.
That humility and vulnerability have been inspiring to witness. Regardless of being a star, he didn’t carry any airs about himself, and it made working with him really feel very comfy and collaborative. It was refreshing to see somebody so established nonetheless method his craft with such sincerity and care.
Did you be taught something new from engaged on this mission that you just plan to hold ahead in your profession?
Completely, this mission taught me loads. The most important lesson I’ve taken away is to at all times give your very best. No shortcuts, no compromises—simply your full effort. For this mission, I didn’t need to accept one thing easy or predictable. Whereas there was a suggestion to create a simple ukulele-driven piece, just like Shayad, I wished to push myself and transcend that. I wished to create one thing extra significant, one thing that felt full and reflective of the depth of the story.
This mission wasn’t about cash for me—it was about life, about creating one thing genuine that would really resonate. I poured every little thing I had into making it a full package deal, and that’s a mindset I’ll carry with me into all my future work.
The important thing takeaway is that this: if you happen to’re given a possibility to work on one thing significant, don’t maintain again. Give it every little thing you’ve received. Your artwork deserves that sort of dedication, and so do the individuals who will expertise it. That’s a philosophy I’ll at all times stand by.
Would you think about engaged on extra Bollywood initiatives sooner or later, or do you favor to focus solely in your unbiased music?
I believe I’d be open to taking up one Bollywood mission a yr—possibly only a single track reasonably than a full album. An entire album would require an infinite quantity of labor and time, which is one thing I’d have to essentially think about fastidiously.
Engaged on movie music could be very completely different from creating my very own songs. After I’m engaged on my unbiased music, I’m in full management—I visualize every little thing myself, from the feelings to the story to the sound. However in a movie, the director has the imaginative and prescient, not me. It’s their narrative, their visible world, and I’m there to enhance it with music. Which means I’ve to align my concepts with theirs, take their suggestions, and make modifications to suit the story they’re telling.
The method may be difficult. You’ll meet the staff, sit within the studio, watch scenes from the movie, and typically return and rewrite a chunk primarily based on a totally new thought. It’s numerous back-and-forth, and it requires an enormous period of time and power. However on the similar time, it’s a fantastic studying expertise.
So sure, I’d like to discover extra Bollywood initiatives, however selectively. For me, it’s essential to stability that with my unbiased music, the place I can really categorical myself and inform my very own tales with out compromise.
Who’re your favourite indie artists at the moment, and what have you ever been listening to nowadays?
Actually, I don’t take heed to numerous music nowadays, and I hardly ever concentrate on particular artists anymore. Again within the day, we’d have one cassette or CD, and also you’d dive deep into that artist’s whole journey—memorizing the lyrics, understanding their sound, and really connecting with their music.
However now, with streaming platforms, there’s a lot accessibility and an amazing variety of artists to find. It’s nice as a result of it offers publicity to so many proficient people, however on the similar time, it makes it more durable to attach deeply with one artist. Nowadays, I discover myself simply listening to songs randomly reasonably than following any particular artist or remembering track titles. It’s a really completely different approach of experiencing music in comparison with the way it was.
Lastly, I’d like to know—what do you’ve got in retailer for 2025? Any massive surprises in your followers?
2025 is shaping as much as be a very thrilling yr! I’ve been engaged on a bunch of recent songs, and we’ve already completed one music video, which we’re planning to launch quickly.
As for an album—sure, I’m engaged on one! We’re within the strategy of finalizing a group of songs for it. Whereas I haven’t set a launch date but, I can promise it’s going to be one thing particular. This yr feels prefer it’s going to be an enormous one, and I’m excited to share extra music and tales with my followers. Keep tuned—it’s going to be fascinating!