Attend a concert that features an indie band singing original compositions with Hindi lyrics
CityHaze at a gig
There is a sense of frustration in Samyak Singh's voice when he talks about being an independent musician singing in Hindi, especially when he says, "Organisers sometimes ask us, 'Why don't you play just Bollywood?' That's the sort of stuff we have to deal with." Singh is the vocalist for a band called CityHaze, and their music has a singer-songwriter vibe to it. They bring up everyday issues with their lyrical content, and try to consciously avoid boy-meets-girl themes. All this puts them at an arm's length from the sort of songs that we generally associate with straight-up filmy music. And yet, Singh says that even within the indie industry, eyebrows are still raised at a band that chooses to express itself in Hindi.
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Samyak Singh
"We didn't understand initially why our progress as a band was so slow. But then we talked to other people who sing in languages apart from English, people like Susmit Sen [of Indian Ocean fame]. They shared their experiences with us, and we realised that what was happening to us was nothing new. So, we understood that we had to package ourselves a certain way, because it would be difficult for us to otherwise bank on only merit," Singh reveals.
Their merit, though, will be on display at a gig the band will play at an Andheri venue this week. The band's songs are born out of everyday conversations that the members — Mallar Sen, Abhigyan Arora, Soham Sarkhel, Debatra Ghosh and Singh — have with people. This particular set will be an acoustic one featuring just a guitar and keys, and the audience will be treated to an evening of original compositions that have an easy-listening quality about them.
On : January 7, 7.30 pm
At : Harkat Studios, Aram Nagar 2, Andheri West.
Log on to : insider.in
Entry : Rs.413
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