Talktime| nikhil d’souza
The singer, songwriter and guitarist from Mumbai who has given hits like O Gujariya from Queen and Parinda from Jab Harry Met Sejal talks to Shalini Saksena about his latest single with East West Records and the secret formula behind his hit songs
Tell us about your musical journey.
Before I started doing independent music, I went through three jobs. I worked in the oil industry — rigs; I then became an editor, went back to the oil industry. But I realised that what I really wanted to do is music and came to Mumbai and started to get into the independent scene here. I got noticed by people in Bollywood and that marked my journey in films. All this while, I was doing independent music. In 2016, I got signed by a label in the UK— East West Records under Warner Music Group and doing some good songs and recording them. Here I am, a few singles down and looking forward to an album as well.
Do you come from a music backgroundIJ
No. Nobody in my family has a musical background or had training. But it just so happened that the area where I was staying used to have plenty of music competitions — pitching one building against that other and one area against the other. I was lucky that the environment was such where people around me loved music and that helped.
Would you agree that this is the best time when it comes to independent musicIJ
There are two sides to it. A lot of people have been saying that these times are good. But this has been so since 2009-2010. Anytime there is a spike, it dies down, it doesn’t capitalise on the high. Independent music in India is not self-sustaining. like in the UK or the US, there is an industry built around independent music where an artist will create song, play it live, audiences will own that music and come out to listen to it, buy it and download it. The publisher will take this music to film and TV and think of ways where the artist can make money out of it. In India, an artist will create music in his room, his friends will come and jam over it and play it live where friends will come and watch it and stops here, it doesn’t get monetised.
What is missing in IndiaIJ A good managerIJ
Music managers need to step up. We need proper managers. Because for now, agents double up as managers. These agents are only focused on where the artist is playing and how the show is going to be done. There is need to focus on artist development.
All your songs have been hits. What is your secretIJ
If only I knew, I would continue doing it for the rest of my life (laughs). But to answer your question, honesty is one. When you are singing, you have to do so with conviction. This always translates well with the audience.
Why is there is so much emphasis on Bollywood and not independent musicIJ
A lot of directors have started taking independent songs in films. So it doesn’t make much impact unless it is a Salman film. In that sense, it has a huge context. If a Bollywood producer or the labels take it upon themselves to show that there is an alternative scene that needs to be recognised then an independent song in a film will get noticed and the artist will get recognition as well.
Is music piracy a problemIJ
Not so much as it was before. But there is need to do more. There is streaming and if cleverly done, piracy can be tackled. The problem in streaming is how much a songwriter gets paid. I hope this gets sorted in a couple of years and a system will figured out where they make money.
Do independent music artists make moneyIJ
It depends on what kind of music one is playing. If it is EDM producer who is popular in the circuit, one will make money. If one is part of rap, there is money. But this is not easy to do. The rest probably end up doing a few shows in a month and have to branch out doing commercial music.