Since most Indian music is perceived to be film-related, artistes find it difficult to establish an identity or tell stories as easily as it could be done on an independent non-film album, Billboard entrant Arko Pravo tells Muskaan Sharma
Music is believed by many to seep through the walls of the body, reach the soul and heal the mind. Our vast nation is connected through its rich culture and varied music. From classic, folk to modern, melody is our commonest denominator.
legendary poets and saints communicated in melodious tongues to inspire and influence masses. Films continue this tradition and are a potent vehicle in reintroducing native music to the masses. One such flagbearer is Indian music composer, singer, songwriter Arko Pravo Mukherjee, whose song Reeva, featured on the Billboard charts. It resonates this idea of exploring the undiscovered potential of Indian regional as well as mainstream music on the international stage.
“The world is more aware of Indian cinema and music than ever before especially after Slumdog Millionaire and there are several songwriters and music producers of Indian descent working all over los Angeles and New York. However it’s mainly linked to films as there are not many Indian artists who are independently successful worldwide”, he says.
Talking about the recognition of Indian regional or Indian classical music on mainstream international platforms, he remarks that classical music already has its niche worldwide through various festivals and concerts but it has a specific audience just like in India. This niche has been a boon and bane. It is boutique but lacks numbers.
This lack of recognition is not limited to regional or classical India music but also affects the comparatively popular Bollywood music industry. Arko has explored different genres of music and gradually, his experimentation has resulted in the discovery of several original tunes. He highlights the importance of bringing independent music to the centrestage. “The major difference in the treatment of music in India and in the international community is the structure of rights and royalties which hopefully will change for the better soon. Because most of Indian music is film-related, artists find it difficult to establish an identity or tell stories as easily as it could be done on an independent non-film album.”
According to Arko, Bollywood needs to explore the English language as a gateway to reflect the essence of Indian melodies. “Bollywood is big worldwide for ages now. I think it’s time for Indian songwriters and singers to get worldwide exposure in English. There definitely is the talent in India and the rest is about persistence and hard work”, he adds.
Future plansIJ “Independently I’m recording songs in lA and it’s a new journey at the moment,” he concludes.