JANET CATHERINA
JACOB COLLIER
Makes India Debut in Mumbai
Grammy award-winning musician Jacob Collier just made
his debut in India to a sold-out crowd at the NCPA, Mumbai,
courtesy of music and event management company Mixtape.
You think you know what to expect from him after watching
his YouTube videos, but he comes out on stage and proves you
wrong within the first five minutes. One thing becomes clear
then: this is not just another concert. Of course, one could have
already guessed that from seeing the audience that turned up
for the show—everyone in the music industry, from Bollywood
music composers to indie musicians to music critics and
enthusiasts. Amidst this close-knit community where everyone
knows everyone, it feels less like a concert and more like a get-
together hosted by Jacob Collier.
Joined on stage by three incredible multi-instrumentalists—
MARO, Robin Mullarkey, and Christian Euman—Collier
starts off the show with hits like ‘With The Love In My Heart’
and ‘Hideaway.’ He sings and bounces around the stage in
his signature Peter Pan-esque way from piano to drums to
keys to bass. As impressive as it is to watch, the true magic
happens when Collier begins to play the instrument that he
plays best—the audience. From foot-stomping to bird whistles,
the musically-proficient audience indulges him in all his
directions. If there was ever a disconnect felt while listening
to his music on a device, it fades into nothing when he's right
in front of you. At this point, his music isn't there just to
appreciate, it's there to experience.
The initial excitement in the auditorium dies down and gives
way for some intimacy when MARO takes the lead with ‘Feel.’
Then, with the audience's rapt attention, Collier goes on to
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demonstrate his musical prowess with his custom-built vocal
harmonizer. While he’s known for his spectacular music
ability, it’s interesting to note how good of a performer he is
as well. Although choreographed, everything from the way
he moves to the way he talks is endearing and engaging,
and the crowd responds in kind with standing ovations and
spontaneous harmonies.
During the show, the young musician, who is signed to Quincy
Jones Productions, takes some time to tell us about Djesse,
his four-volume album with 50 songs that he wrote over the
course of a year or so. The first two volumes, which have
been released, feature collaborations with the likes of guitar
virtuoso Steve Vai and vocal phenom Jojo. With a laugh,
Collier explains that the third volume deals with negative
space and will probably not be well-liked, while the fourth
volume is a mystery altogether. And if there was any confusion
about what genre Collier’s music falls under, he cheekily
describes it as “Jacobian music.”
A few minutes after Collier and the band leave the stage, they
come back for a much-anticipated encore. This time, Collier
opts for the simplicity of an acoustic guitar and a melodica as
he performs his latest single, ‘It Don’t Matter,’ sitting cross-
legged on the stage with the audience sitting right in front of
him on the floor. Then, the show ends on a magical note with
crowd favorite ‘Blackbird.’ People leave concerts with a variety
of feelings, but on this night, there is only one thought on
everyone’s mind as they step out of Tata Theatre—that it was
an absolute privilege to have witnessed this.