It has been six months since Tushar Mathur has stepped out of his room. “I was busy working on my single called Stepping About . I would start at 10.00 am and usually work till 3.00 am,” says the musician from Coimbatore who moved to Bengaluru two years ago. “I wanted to explore the music opportunities there. Back then, Coimbatore had not warmed up to English music. Things have changed quite a bit now.”
Stepping About, the 24 year old’s third single, will be released on May 1 on all major online platforms. “ Stepping About is about the current generation’s battle between the hustle culture and self-care. People are always busy, trying to prove themselves and it has come to a point that the worth of a person is equated with their productivity. It has led to a lot of mental issues. I am asking everyone to slow down a bit and spend some time to take care of themselves. I think it is important now, during the Coronavirus pandemic, when there is a lot of anxiety among people.”
The 3.26 minute song comes under the genre of Alternative R&B Indie Pop.“It started as a simple guitar note and I developed it from there. I first made the music and then worked on the lyrics. It went through multiple rounds of editing where I incorporated feedback from my friends and other musicians.” The track also features Mumbai-based audio and video producer Shayan Roy. “He did a small rap portion. I have not met him in person but he understood want I expected from him and the process was smooth. This is my first collaboration with him,” says Tushar.
Tushar released his first single, ‘Groove Pool’, last year and the track made it to the Apple Music Official playlist called ‘The New India’. His second track, Mend was also featured in two playlists by Spotify. “Both were featured in VH1 and BBC Radio. Groove Pool is about an introvert who wants to let loose at a party. Mend was inspired by me moving to a bigger city to pursue something unconventional like music. These songs have the same style as Stepping About . I now have a better understanding about the taste of the audience and the different aspects of song making .”
Producing music is not always easy. “Being an upcoming musician, I have to coordinate my creative work along with marketing and handling social media. I often get overwhelmed with the music around me at times. I am either producing music or listening to it most of the time. Every time I reach a difficult point, I go for a walk or edit videos.”
With the lockdown, Tushar has not been able to shoot the video yet for the song. “I had planned an outdoor video and the script was ready. But, with the current situation, I cannot execute it. Now, I have plans to shoot a video of me singing in my home and add the song to it before release,” he says. Tushar has more songs coming up. “I am planning to release an Extended Play record with four songs by the end of this year. I have two of them ready. Hopefully, if things go well, I will also go on my first all-India tour with my music after that,” he says.
The song will be available on Youtube, Saavn, Gaana, Spotify and iTunes from May 1
