Raghav Meattle’s first album, a crowdfunded one titled Songs from a Matchbox hit the right chord. Raghav feels the album with contemporary folk music worked because he expressed himself through his music. “My emotions are common. So when I penned my thoughts sitting in a one-BHK in Mumbai (I call it a matchbox) I must have touched the right notes in people’s hearts, that is how I named the album Songs from a Matchbox ,” shares Raghav over the phone as he took a cab from Gachibowli to Sainikpuri for a jam session.
Raghav shot to fame after he auditioned for Season 2 of The Stage , the first home-grown English singing talent hunt show. Though Raghav had been in a progressive metal band in college, didn’t see himself as a club singer.
Trained in Hindustani classical, his love for lyrics motivated him to pen his thoughts. All through college and university, his love for lyrics and music remained his companion. Raghav also worked for a few years in Hyderabad and Bangalore, “Until I decided to audition for The Stage . That was a good decision, as it helped me realise what I was longing to do. My songs reflect common but genuine perceptions so they connects with my listeners,” adds Raghav.
After his stint with The Stage , Raghav didn’t want to waste time contemplating on his career as a singer. “I opted for crowdfunding for the album and the response was immense. That again boosted my confidence about people wanting to listen to lyric-driven music,” says Raghav.
For want of a better name, Raghav describes his music as contemporary. No matter what genre he identifies his music with, his listeners will agree with his up-tempo, easy-going happy numbers and appreciate the absolutely home-grown videos.
Even though he prefers to play his songs solo (now that he has polished his guitar-playing abilities) for gigs at bars or clubs, he understands its limitations. “One man with a guitar cannot draw the attention of the crowd. That is why I play with local talent. In Hyderabad I played with Raunaq George on bass and Alex Verghese on drums. The type of music or song a musician sings or plays, should go with the occasion and the ambience. Plus, playing with new people also helps us learn and improve,” says Raghav.
What does Raghav think of his YouTube popularity? “I think I am still ‘small’ on YouTube but it sure is a good platform for musicians like us.”
Raghav is currently working on his next album and plans to release new demo videos soon.
