Songwriter-Producer
NISCHAY PAREKH
Composer-Guitarist
ADIL MANUEL
( 1 / 2 of the duo Parekh & Singh )
What did you do musically through lockdown ? Did you release new music ?
Productivity through the lockdown has been more outward than inward . Jivraj and I both really reflected on our identities , not just as artists but generally as humans . There haven ’ t been any new releases but we ’ ve been releasing some videos for previously released music that were shelved in the past , there are a bunch of little treats in that vein coming up as well . These are mostly unreleased videos from our first album , Ocean .
How do you think the music scene can recover from the pandemic hit ?
Our music scene must evolve and grow out of being what is a one dimensional and somewhat uninspired setup at the moment . An artist makes an EP , plays the same 20 shows and then repeats the process . We need more unique experiences and risks -I would put the onus on the artists themselves .
We need to take more risks in the kind of music we make and the manner in which we disseminate it . Peter Cat Recording Company is one of the few groups ( perhaps the only one ) that has done this in the recent past .
What would be your tip / advise to the young musicians who ’ ve emerged during the pandemic situation ?
Practise your craft . Learn that promotion and performance are two seperate things . A pandemic can derail any well laid marketing plan as well as our own plans to improve our abilities and vocabulary to express our artistic ideas .
What can we look forward to from you now ?
Music .
What did you do musically through lockdown ? Did you release new music ?
Right up till the day of the lockdown I was lucky enough to be gigging , in fact I had a session on the day of the lockdown ! At the onset , I went into an academic phase wherein I studied and practiced some of the things I didn ’ t have time to do when things were normal . Technique , theory etc .
I also initiated and led some collaborations , the most prominent being the Manuel ∞ Tincrès Prokekt release of its debut single Hope which you reviewd as well !
Parallel to that , early on in the lockdown I did some free workshops / classes on social media which got me some good guitar students . This kept me on my toes .
Challenges you faced when recording your songs / making new music .
The hardest part was not to be able to enter a jam pad or a studio with other musicians or an engineer or a producer and write / compose / play organically . But , we ’ ve all adapted , and have gotten used to the new normal !
How do you think the music scene can recover from the pandemic hit ?
By not talking about what was and working around and through what is ( the new normal ). Just take it a day at a time and be focussed on a new path . In a way this was a restart I really needed to get to the next level .
What can we look forward to from you now ?
More originals , collabs and commercial work ! I ’ ll keep you all posted .
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