The songstress celebrated her new achievement by treating her followers to yet one more peppy single ‘EK Din (Manhattan Memories)’, ETimes reached out to Sona who fortunately shared attention-grabbing particulars about her newest music, Billboard achievement, future tasks and extra.
You lately made your Instances Sq. Billboard debut. How did it really feel?
To be woken up in the midst of the evening to see pictures of my face on a billboard overlaying a skyscraper in one among my favorite cities, New York, was a surreal feeling. To be one of many first unbiased Indian musicians to be given this place is a Pop Tradition milestone as a result of it paves the way in which for creative expression of varied hues and colors, free from the cookie-cutter formulation in musical mainstream success. We’re slowly popping out of a really powerful time collectively as a society however this section in India has been the perfect for unbiased music releases with out the large banyan tree of Bollywood taking away all of the media and viewers consideration/daylight with its massive promotional budgets!
I really feel actually happy with having a primary movers benefit by persistently placing out authentic music by way of my very own indie label Omgrown Music over a decade. This billboard is a validation of that fixed hustle of by no means giving up on the ability of music and self-belief. My allies have stood by me by thick and skinny; I’m grateful.
Additionally, I see this as an even bigger victory since I’m the face of the worldwide EQUAL marketing campaign that recognises the necessity for equal alternatives for girls in mainstream music. India has been faltering on this with current numbers like solely eight odd songs in girls voices in each 100 releases and hardly any solo feminine songs which might be picturised or promoted. It is tough to construct fem manufacturers with such a lopsided system that was far more balanced till the ’80s.
What sort of reactions did you get from folks?
I’ve obtained loads of love and over-the-top completely happy responses, not solely from the followers of music and individuals who have fun an Indian unbiased musician on the worldwide stage, but additionally from peers–both women and men who’ve watched me hustle day-after-day to place out authentic music. The truth that I take advantage of my stage and voice to talk up for issues past music, to create consciousness and encourage my viewers to have conversations about crucial issues makes me proud; I consider my heroes, inspirations up to now and current had been such artistes. I’m glad to be following their path of bringing a couple of optimistic change by my artwork. This billboard within the iconic location of Instances Sq. can be a recognition of that.
The credit score goes to your music ‘Aise Na They’. Did you suppose it might prove so massive whereas capturing?
Nicely, ‘Aise Na They’ was the cherry on prime of the cake for positive however it was the consistency of placing out music after the unique music for years, working my very own indie label and in addition producing-creating my very own visible content material together with progressive music movies all 12 months by the pandemic and even earlier than that. This contains the ‘Lal Pari Mastani’ mission. On this 12 months alone, music movies like Nit Khair Manga- India’s first Artwork-Music collaboration with painter Asit Kumar Patnaik, Heere Heere – a fashion-music collaboration with designer Anand Kabra, directed by Ram Sampath after which ‘Aise Na They’, a very DIY music video shot within the Sikkim Border and Darjeeling whereas I went on a solo journey in the course of the second wave! Most of my big-time business mates thought I used to be diluting my music-star standing by placing out a largely ‘phone-selfie’ plus ‘tripod/monopod’ shot music video however I felt in any other case! I did my very own hair, make-up, styling and in addition learnt to color right and all else in post-production. I loved the method of being self-reliant – Atmanirbhar being the important thing! (smiles)
I’ve by no means listened to others and at all times adopted my coronary heart; I am so glad that I did. Artists have to pivot relying on the instances and this easy video received over the youthful technology due to its lack of ostentatious frills. That lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya can inform you a complete movie story inside 5 minutes is the magic of this music, the music by Ram Sampath, with flute and mandolin, provides the music a sound of the hills. The blessing of with the ability to work with such master-craftsmen, I’d say genius is a present and alternative that I by no means take as a right!
Inform us one thing about your upcoming work…
My self-produced documentary function movie – ‘Shut Up Sona’ simply received a Nationwide Award after a number of accolades within the worldwide movie competition circuit; I await its launch in India. I’ve additionally began capturing its sequel ‘Please Sing Sona’ and I’m completely happy to discover storytelling and music from a driver’s seat in model new genres like documentaries. There are talks of me internet hosting a travel-music present for an OTT platform.
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