Many of us recall how Mumbai-based Indus Creed’s hit song, ‘Pretty Child’, topped the charts in 1993. It won the rock veterans the Asian Viewer’s Choice Award at the MTV Video Music Awards, that year. 19 years later, in 2012, the MTV Europe Music Awards instituted the Best Indian Act category, for which the reunited Indus Creed’s next big hit, ‘Fireflies’, was nominated. The honour, however, went to Dimapur pop-rock artist Alobo Naga and The Band.
This year, Vh1 India, part of the Viacomm network which owns MTV, has picked rapper-songwriter Raja Kumari for her song ‘Shook’, singer-songwriter Prateek Kuhad for his angst-filled ‘cold/mess’, rock veterans Parikrama for their latest single ‘Tears of the Wizard’, singer-producer Komorebi aka Tarana Marwah for ‘Little One’, and rapper Emiway Bantai for ‘Daawat’.
Decoding the picks
Among these names, Raja Kumari has been nominated thrice now, and Kuhad has already won in this category in 2016. That said, this year’s picks are still more deserving than that of film music composers like Pritam, infamous rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh (who won in 2013 and 2014) and actor-singer Priyanka Chopra (who won in 2015). Though the nomination is “very flattering”, Kuhad does add, “I am also slightly suspicious of the nomination process, to be honest.”
Komorebi, however, says her nomination came after she won Vh1’s Artist of the Month voting competition. Although ‘Little One’ released in 2017, it has been a fantastic second wave. “I recently did a crowdfunded/Red Bull-sponsored music video for ‘Little One’, which helped it reach more ears and hearts. I really appreciate the support,” she says.
Realising dreams
Meanwhile, Parikrama’s Subir Malik is happy that the band received a nomination, considering ‘Tears of the Wizard’ is their first video and official single to be released in nearly 20 years. The Lord of the Rings -inspired hard rock song has been a live staple for more than a decade, but Malik says they are not the kind to get excited about nominations or awards beyond a point. “Of course, we will be happy to win… (but) the reception we have got for this song is pretty rewarding in itself,” he says with a laugh.
Raja Kumari’s nomination for ‘Shook’ is not only based on the popularity of the song, but also the fact that she has served as a judge on hip hop reality show, MTV Hustle . Though hyped about her third straight nomination, she nervously admits that winning would realise her childhood dream. “I grew up watching MTV, and now that I got to be on [the channel], it is just a crazy feeling. It never gets old when people appreciate your work and nominate you for something like this. I just hope people find me worthy,” she concludes.
Europe Music Awards airs live exclusively on Vh1 India on November 4 — red carpet from 6 am followed by the main event at 7 am.
