Bengaluru’s bands are always fun to listen to. However, imagine being able to command the attention of the audience with a performance just as alluring, but as a solo musician with just the voice and a guitar. That is the power of the singer-songwriter genre that Mahesh Raghunandan is pushing boundaries in.
A frontrunner of the popular solo act, Mahesh will deliver a scintillating performance of indie folk, folk rock, pop rock and soul at Monkey Bar’s Alt Nights today. It is going to be lots of fun, affirms the singer. “Pretty much every single time I get to play in Bengaluru, I am excited. It is home, after all.”
On the set list, he says will be a mix of old and new original compositions. “I have been working on my upcoming EP which is scheduled to release by the end of the year. So I will be testing a few new songs. There will also be a good chunk of old songs that I do often. Being a singer-songwriter, it is always fun to do an original set.”
A standard opener for most of the country’s popular acts, Mahesh is easily one of Bengaluru’s biggest additions to the singer-songwriter circuit. He also dabbles in multiple collaborative projects when he is not performing solo. Pointing out that his songs stem from certain emotions, Mahesh says it is important for singer-songwriters to express themselves through their music and lyrics. “When I write a song about punching someone in the face, I want people to feel as if they are getting punched in the face as I sing it,” he quips and adds: “Music for me is all about expressing myself. Most of my songs are melancholic; away from popular songs and covers. It does require some amount of listening space since they are intimate songs. I have been fortunate enough to get that kind of audience and venues that appreciate a singer-songwriter performance.”
Being a niché genre, Mahesh believes the space for singer-songwriters is growing. “When I started out back in 2011, there were only a handful of us. There were a lot of musicians playing in bands who used to do solo sets but there wasn’t a niché as such back then. I’ve pretty much been a solo artiste and over the years, I’ve seen the scene open up. There are a lot more of us now and people are becoming more aware about this genre created by artistes all over the world. It’s a much bigger playground now and I’m always looking forward to more singer-songwriters coming up.”
Elaborating, the solo crooner says this stripped down version of music allows singer-songwriters to write songs in anyway they want. “We have the freedom to express ourselves and be our creative best. For me, the feeling is akin to going to a cabin alone in the woods and pouring my heart out. The only difference being I’m on stage. I don’t have to worry about coordination. It’s just me and my guitar, owning the stage. It’s quite challenging and intimidating, but at the same time, it’s exhilarating. It’s a thrill to go up on stage and reach as far as you can with your emotions. I just love that!”
Looking back, Mahesh remembers vividly when he wanted to be a singer-songwriter. “Although I was educated with English as my first language, it was only as a teenager that I was introduced to songs in English. I got hooked on to listening to various artistes on the radio. When I was 15, I came across John Mayer and his song ‘Gravity’. The moment I heard that song – I had a reaction I had never experienced before. It was not just the music – the words, the lyrics, the emotions and the meaning; as a teen, it was a life-altering moment for me. That’s when I decided to be a singer-songwriter. My journey since has moulded me into who I am now.”
Although he has solid plans for the future, Mahesh is one who lives in the moment. “I’m in a space where I’m actually enjoying being where I am right now. It’s a struggle since I am a fulltime musician. But musically, it’s absolutely beautiful. I’m going where my music takes me since I am inspired by what happens around me. I’m in a fertile stage in my voyage. I will continue to do what I do and more. I don’t intend to stop at any point.”
Catch Mahesh Raghunandan live at Monkey Bar, Indiranagar, on May 10 from 8 pm onwards. Entry free. Call 44114455
