Some of the most hummable songs in English and Tamil music history have been simple romantic ditties (Elvis’ ‘Falling in love’, anyone?). The basic requirement being able to tug at your heart’s strings with its honesty. This seems to be guitarist Sajith Satya’s philosophy behind his latest release, ‘Kettavano’.
The relationship between an artiste and his muse is a delicate one; a work of art stemming from it not just impacts the subject but transforms the creator as well, as Sajith discovered during the course of producing the ‘Kettavano’. This song, he admits, is heavily inspired from his own life, encompassing all that he’s felt in his two years of dating someone.
“It is about a guy and a girl who have fallen in love, but their circumstances are such that they can’t be together,” he says. When Sajith started writing the song, he imagined it to be calm and reflective, but as he kept working on it, that changed along with his outlook towards life. “I realised that it would be better with a hopeful open-ended note,” he says. “The upbeat outtro goes with the overall electro-pop vibe of the song.”
This also happens to be the first Tamil song he has penned down. “I wrote the lyrics to this along with my friend from college about one-and-a-half years ago,” he says. This was after a tour with Anirudh Ravichander, who lent the song his breezy vocals, encouraged him to write Tamil songs. “He made me realise that I should not be uncomfortable writing in Tamil. He is like my big brother, he would even listen to my songs before they were released and offer me advice,” he says.
When you have been playing in bands for a decade like Sajith, you pick up a few things along the way. The guitarist who started playing for different bands — from Eflat, Bass in Bridge to Frank’s got the Funk and Junkyard Groove — since he was 15, says he has learnt different aspects of music and life from each. “Eflat, which was Indo-fusion rock majorly influenced my musicality. And, it was with Bass in Bridge that I met Leon James and both of us started truly experimenting with songwriting,” he says. “I was with Frank’s got the Funk during my college days, so it was more than just music, it was about being part of a brotherhood. But the band that taught me most about life as a musician — the struggles, the challenges that come with it, was Junkyard Groove. I learnt what mistakes I should avoid.”
Working with different people each time allows Sajith to expand his musical skills. “I would have liked sticking to one band, but it’s limiting. You’re stuck to one sound, whereas I love experimenting with music,” he says. Given that he’s still experimenting, he finds it hard to describe his style. “But if I had to, I would say either jazz rock, or electro-classical,” he notes.
After the release of ‘Kettavano’, Sajith has more Tamil songs in the bank. “I hope to make music for a movie someday,” he says, hoping the right producer or music director hears this song and gives him the needed exposure and opportunity.
But has the “muse” heard this song yet? “Yes, she has,” he laughs, “And she likes it. It comes from the heart, and so feels like a nice tribute to what we had.”
‘Kettavano’ is a part of 7UP Madras Gig, an initiative that promotes independent music. It is presented by Sony Music and Knack Studios.
