All the six songs that you hear on the EP are picked up from the folk concepts that our dadis and nanis ( grandmothers ) used to have the conversation about in the villages . So , that is where the core concepts and folk conversations were built .
You had been exposed to folk and Sufi music by your family and the town you were living in up-till your teens . How do you maintain that cultural connection now that you live in a city .
I think it is so deeply rooted inside me that even if I wanted to , I cannot take it out of myself . It ’ s become a muscle memory for me . There are times when I hear a certain song and I think to myself “ Oh this has been picked up from that folk song ”. I just thank my family and the upbringing I have had , and all the gurus I have had . They have put their blood and sweat into my training .
About maintaining the cultural connection , you just have to keep picking up things . I am right now only limited to my state Punjab , and Punjab alone is so vast that the learning is still going on . There is so much more to folk music than we know of . A lifetime is also less to work on it . There is so much that our ancestors have left for us . It ’ s not like you only take knowledge from the past . You can take inspiration from it , and package it differently . The feeling of nostalgia for music is something I want to carry with me .
From your latest EP , do you have a song that ’ s your favorite ?
Two songs are very close to me . One is Mera Ranjhana because the whole vibe and feel of the song is very different . Second is Ram Leela , because it is a very different concept . The concept has never been touched in the industry .
Have you ever had creative blocks ? How do you get over them ? be productive when your head is well-rested . And if your body and head require a break , then I think you should give yourself that time . However , the resting period should not be confused with procrastinating . If one can keep a constant check on themselves , you are good . My way of getting out of it is I give myself a deadline . A day or two break then check if I can work , and so on .
I also believe a lot in manifestation . I write down the things I want , and I have been successful in achieving them .
What is in store for the next few months ?
A lot of experiments with the language itself . I have another track which is a very fresh take on a very old concept that has been running across generations .
Ideas for Punjabi Jazz & Blues tracks are also on the table . Another thing I am doing is picking up old time ’ s story and tweaking them into contemporary scenarios .
All the time ! I am just like any other human . Everybody has creative blocks and it ’ s very important to realize how important these blocks are , and how important it is to give yourself that space . You can only
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