Andrew Sabu’s (artiste name Sabu) ‘Rest’ is a soothing and soulful song that makes you reflect. The song is a great stressbuster — much needed during locked down times. The music video of Sabu’s single ‘Rest’ (from his self-titled EP, which came out in July last year) was shot during the lock-down by Gorkey Patwal and Prateek Verma with very little resources. The music video was released on April 25 (YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HQiTnPSBpA) .
As an artiste, Sabu has been focusing on building an organic following performing for small crowds at intimate settings, touring across various venues throughout the country. ‘Rest’ talks about mental health issues and the process of recovery. In an email interview, Sabu writes about the idea behind ‘Rest’ and how the music video was shot.
Excerpts
When and how did the idea for composing ‘Rest’ come to you?
The song came to me last year when I was going through depression. It was the first song I wrote that was completely directed at myself. It was a way to tell myself that I would be fine and that I would get through it. I wanted the listener to feel the same way.
Why did you decide to make the music video during the lock-down?
I didn’t plan on this happening. It was instinctive. A couple of days into the lock-down, Gorkey called me and told me that he and his friend were planning to shoot a music video for a song that was specifically about isolation/taking a break and were looking for artistes. So I felt it was the perfect opportunity for me and decided to go ahead.
How did Gorkey and Prateek go about shooting it? Which city/locality was it shot in?
The video was shot in Delhi at Gorkey’s residence. Prateek and Gorkey live together, so everything was safe and they stuck to all safety protocols. The protagonist of the music video is Gorkey’s caretaker Pandeji. We wanted to show the daily routine he follows, emphasizing the importance of living a slow, balanced life instead of a hectic, overwhelming one.
If you link the theme of the song to the current times, what do you think the message is?
While we are all stuck within the confines of our homes, this is the perfect time to look inside ourselves at any unresolved emotions.
How did you chose to become a singer-songwriter, which genres do you explore?
I initially wanted to be a film music producer. I used to sit in the studio for hours and make ambient music. I don’t think I chose this — it just naturally happened one day. I don’t particularly like to be confined to any specific genre as such but I currently find myself exploring indie-folk.
What camera and editing tools was used for the video?
We used a Sony A7 III Alpha to shoot and Adobe Premiere Pro
What genre would ‘Rest’ be categorised under?
Indie-folk / Singer-songwriter
Tell us a little about your collaboration with RECK.?
Well, this is not a mere collaboration. RECK. is my label and my family. They are my team and have helped me since the start of my career.
