Q
uirks &
ueries
Tell us the idea behind your debut
album 'Written in the Stars'.
I’ve always wanted to release
my music, an album with songs
I was writing. I believe listening
to an album should be an event,
like watching a movie or reading
a book and with this album,
Written in the Stars which is my
first, the concept is exactly that.
To have musicians like Vinnie
Colaiuta, Michael Landau,
James Genus and George Whitty
record on your first ever album
it’s definitely the stuff of what
dreams are made of! Of course,
conceptually there are so many
elements that come into play
– what each song demanded,
the sound of the album, the
direction you want to t ake the
music. The songs on the album
are stories about life, the stories
that has inspired me, I wrote
what came from my heart and
sang what came to my heart. I
wouldn’t want to say too much
about these songs and I’d rather
have the listener connect to the
music and make it they’re own
personal experience or story.
There’s always magic that
happens when there are
musicians coming into the
studio and recording music.
Music touched us for a reason
and it is this connect we’ve
captured and shared on the
record. It’s very rewarding to see
the how each song on the album
is reaching out far and wide
to people from different parts
of the world. The album has
reached out to a global audience!
Mili
Did you know?
I never record in the mornings...
Recording my vocals happens best
later in the day when voice is warmed
up. And I always need to have coffee
- at least 2 cups before I get into the
recording booth.
You worked Grammy award
winners. What did you learn
from all these phenomenal
people that you worked with?
It’s a very different realm when
you’re working with people
who’ve known to change the
world with their skill and
mastery in their craft, along
with a combination of the years
of wisdom and experience that
goes hand in hand. I would say
this journey and the things I’ve
witnessed during the session
are lessons and experiences for
life. The very intention with
this project was to record every
instrument live in the studio
and it couldn’t have been any
better than working with the
best. Everyone was on the same
page while recording each song.
It felt like we were reading each
other’s minds! Such a great vibe!
The spectrum of possibilities I
had with the music was huge.
It ultimately all comes down
to what we wanted to achieve
in terms of the music and
sound. That was something
the producer Hamesh and I
were very clear about from the
very inception of this album.
Are you more of a singer or
more of a song-writer?
I guess I’ve always been both
for the longest time. Of course
during my childhood it was
singing that helped me express
myself. But it was only later
I realised I was listening and
understanding music with
a very different perspective
from a very young age – what
each musician contributed to
the song, the harmonies, the
arrangement, the composition
etc. Now looking back when I
started writing these songs a
lot of things happened easily.
You have worked with notable
music composers in India like
AR Rahman & Amit Trivedi.
What has been your best take
away from each of them?
I love how adventurous they’ve
been with their music, with
their concepts. I’ve been very
fortunate to work with these
great composers and their songs
which suited my style of singing.
What have been your biggest
writing influences?
Ever since I can remember being
exposed to all kinds of music
- western and Indian classical
music, rock, jazz and of course
being in India, all the film music
has only added to my musical
knowledge. Basically I’ve always
been open to everything and it
was this huge canvas that helped
me think beyond the lines of
genres that has contributed
to my music influences.
Motto that you always live by
Follow your instinct!
It’s always right.
The
Score Magazine
highonscore.com
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