Chad Lawson: ‘Music doesn’t solve your problem, but it stays with you’

Chad Lawson. Pics/By Special Arrangement, Instagram

At one point in our conversation, American pianist and composer Chad Lawson says thoughtfully, "Music reaches us before language does". It's this desire to connect with people that has led to the creation of Awakening: The Stillness Within, which brings together Western classical music, Indian spiritual traditions, and healing frequencies. In a chat with mid-day, Lawson discusses the growing demand for meditative music today.

Excerpts from the interview.

What inspired you to blend Western classical music with Indian spiritual sounds and healing frequencies?
I have spent years practising transcendental meditation, breathwork, and yoga. So, when the opportunity to make music in India arose, it felt like a natural progression. A conversation with Universal Music India's Devraj Sanyal set everything in motion. What resonated with me most was how Indian music and spiritual practice embrace silence and breath. They aren't treated as empty spaces, but as essential parts of the music.

In today's fast-paced world, do you think there is a growing need for stillness?
Absolutely! Many people are exhausted in ways they struggle to articulate. We've conditioned ourselves to stay constantly connected, available, and reactive. The popularity of meditation apps, sound baths, and breathwork shows that people are searching for ways to reconnect with themselves. Often, they simply need permission to slow down. Music can provide that space.

How can music help people cope with anxiety, burnout, and emotional fatigue?
Music reaches us before language does. A slow, spacious piece can calm breathing and release tension before we consciously realise it. What makes music powerful is that it doesn't require explanations. You can cry, rest, reflect, or simply sit quietly with it. I often hear from people in hospital waiting rooms, parents trying to soothe children, or listeners navigating grief and uncertainty. [They say that] the music doesn't solve their problems, but it stays with them, and sometimes that sense of companionship is where healing begins.

Do you see healing music becoming more mainstream globally?
I think it already is. People may call it ambient, meditation, sleep or focus music, but at its core, it serves the same purpose: helping people feel more grounded. This music is no longer confined to wellness spaces. It's found in yoga studios, films, hospitals, and homes. As conversations around mental health continue to grow, people are becoming more aware of how sound shapes their well-being.

Chad Lawson's collaborators on the album

Rasika Shekar on the flute

Purbayan Chatterjee on the sitar

Nush Lewis on the harp

Paayal Lal on the crystal singing bowls