HomeAmericasInterviewIW Interview. Singer Prateek Kuhad: Anything That Moves Me, Inspires Me

IW Interview. Singer Prateek Kuhad: Anything That Moves Me, Inspires Me

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IW Interview. Singer Prateek Kuhad: Anything That Moves Me, Inspires Me

By REENA RATHORE

LOS ANGELES, CA – In the realm of modern Indian music, there stands a distinguished artist whose melodies intertwine with emotions and lyrics evoke profound introspection: Prateek Kuhad.

From New York City’s Beacon Theatre to San Francisco’s The Masonic Auditorium, the critically acclaimed Indian singer/songwriter whose global “Silhouettes” tour has been a resounding success, is captivating audiences across the U.S – one soulful melody at a time. He is set to bring his evocative compositions to another iconic stage, The Ford, on July 26, marking the grand finale of his North American tour.

“I think one thing that was really, really different about this tour was that I haven’t done a solo tour in a really long time. So that was really, really fun. The connection in a solo set up where it’s just me on stage is special,” Kuhad shared with India-West.

This tour marks the “Dil Beparwah” singer’s fourth in North America, each time bringing a “really nice time” and deeper engagement with his fans.

Though hailed as one of India’s foremost singer-songwriters today, his musical path wasn’t always clear but his early years in Jaipur, Rajasthan, were steeped in a rich tapestry of musical influences.

“All through my childhood and my teenage years, it was a lot of Hollywood music and domestic kind of like music scene in India…A.R. Rahman… But at the same time, just also a lot of English music, classic rock, singer-songwriters,” he reminisced, particularly noting the impact of John Mayer’s “Continuum.”

From the lilting melodies of Harry Belafonte and Cliff Richard, courtesy of his mother, to the raw energy of Nirvana and the psychedelic depth of Pink Floyd, his eclectic tastes formed the bedrock of his unique sound.

“All of it has had an impact on my songwriting,” he noted, adding that his time studying at New York University further honed his style.

“I remember like one of the artists I was really obsessed with for a while was Elliott Smith. And that really got me into a very folksy kind of zone in terms of my listening sensibilities,” he said. “So for a while, I was listening to a lot of old school Americana, more contemporary folk music, like acoustic guitars… So definitely a lot of my songwriting at its core is very folksy because like that kind of made the foundation of my songwriting. I also did the most writing in college…I think in high school is when I kind of started, but in college is where I really dialed in my songwriting.”

His lyrics, often deeply personal and introspective – in both English and Hindi – reflect a life lived from moment to moment.

“I don’t really analyze myself and what I’m doing too much, you know if that makes any sense,” Kuhad told India-West. “…it’s kind of like a mix of everything…every conversation, things that happened to me…, people and their stories, movies, music. Anything that gets me emotional… Obviously, the stuff that really moves you strongly just naturally ends up inspiring you.”

This unfiltered, spontaneous approach allows his music to resonate with a broad audience, bridging cultural gaps and uniting fans from different backgrounds. “I think it’s just about making good art for me. If you make good art, it’ll just really get them together,” he mused.

Every artist has milestones that define their career. For him, moments like performing in front of thousands of people in New Delhi for the first time were pivotal. “Cold/Mess” was a watershed moment, both for its music video and the enormous shows that followed. It went on to feature in the TV show, “Ted Lasso,” and also earned him a spot on NPR’s ‘Artist to Watch’ list at his first SXSW.

“All the shows that happened, happened after that record. My biggest shows first happened in 2019 in India…Like, just like scales really got up. ‘Kasoor’ was a big moment. And right now, one of my songs, ‘CO2,’ is doing really, really well,” Kuhad noted.

When your name appears on a list curated by former President Barack Obama, it’s bound to have an impact. For Kuhad, the inclusion of “Cold/Mess” on Obama’s favorite music list in 2019 was a moment of both personal and professional significance. “It’s kind of tied up. Whatever changes personally, changes professionally, I guess, for me, right? And vice versa,” he remarked. “It definitely brought a wave of attention, especially in India. It was a really big deal in India. I was on, like, news all over the place and stuff.”

However, he was quick to note that by then he was already in the spotlight and had won a following in India. “Before the Obama list happened, the Delhi shows and the Bombay shows were really big… playing to, like, 10,000 people in Delhi… headlining shows like that was very unheard of at that time,” he recalled. “Obama’s list just, like, got me a lot of global attention, which was really good, obviously, professionally.”

He added that there were always small victories. “Honestly, I would say, right from the beginning, from the first record I ever put out which was at a much smaller scale back then. And in 2013, it was an EP called ‘Raat Raazi.’ That also did really well in the indie music scene in India which was really small then. But for me, it was still like a big thing, you know, like I started playing festivals all of a sudden and I just did a bunch of things…And then every couple of years, something happened. When we put out ‘Tum Jab Paas,’ the music video did really well, everybody really loved it and my shows kept getting bigger every year,” he acknowledged.

Since then, he has acquired legions of devoted fans and the indie music scene in India has transformed dramatically, with new challenges being presented on a daily basis. “The biggest challenge has been adjusting to the lifestyle of being a musician. It’s very contrary to what 99 percent of the people around you do… things are just really dynamic,” he noted.

He relishes the continuous flow of the creative process, navigating the ebbs and flows of the industry with grace.

“The quicker you adjust to it, the less challenging things become, I guess. And there’s a lot of slow periods. It’s not a constant thing, right? Like, you release an album, you do a tour and stuff, and it’s busy. And then suddenly it becomes really, really, really free. Like, there’s nothing. So, like, adjusting to those breaks has been challenging,” he said.

Slow periods and creative blocks are part of the process, with Kuhad using breaks to recharge. “I think creative blocks are just, like, a very mental thing. If you focus on them too much, then they go out of hand,” he opined.

The reception of his music varies, but not strictly by region. Each tour’s vibe is influenced by factors like venue and audience mood, he explained.

“Every show is kind of different. Every audience is kind of different…Like, New York might be, like, a vibe a certain time… When we played The Beacon, it was a very different vibe from my last show in New York, which was at Irving Plaza,” highlighting the contrast between a high-energy standing-room show and a more relaxed seated venue.

As his songs continue to rack up millions of views, Kuhad is torn between naming his favorite song. “It keeps changing,” he said, mentioning a strong connection to his latest album, “Mulaqat,” with a particular emphasis on “Jaane Mann.”

“‘Tere Hi Hum’ is one of my favorites that I’ve written,” he shared.

From opening for Ed Sheeran in Mumbai earlier this year to collaborating with Indian American singer/songwriter Raveena on an alternate version of “Bloom,” each partnership has added a new dimension to his artistry.

“I met Ed right before, and it was just great energy. The show was really well-produced, which was really nice. I think every artist had a really good time, and Ed was really good,” said Kuhad. “Raveena and me have known each other for a couple of years… I had this song called ‘Bloom,’ which she really, really liked, and I was like, ‘why don’t you write a verse on it?’ And then when she was in India, we kind of just worked on it…it was very natural… just flowed very easily.”

His latest single, “I’m Someone New,” written in collaboration with and produced by Grammy-nominated producer Greg Wattenberg, encapsulates the transformative power of love. “At its core, the song is about just how transformative love can be and how it can really change you into a completely different person sometimes,” he explained, leaving its interpretation open.

His releases this year include “No Complaints” and “Just Like A Movie.”

Despite the adoration and attention, he remains grounded. “I don’t really do it for, like, the attention… which is also very up and down, and it’s good and bad, you know? I do this because I like doing what I do. I like making the music I make,” he affirmed.

Looking ahead, Kuhad has a busy schedule with tours across Australia and New Zealand – for the first time – the U.K., and Europe, culminating in India this fall. “Just a lot of touring,” he said, adding that fans can look forward to more new music and possibly an album later this year.

Despite the demanding nature of touring, for him, the journey continues to be about the music, the fans, and the joy of performing. “It’s mostly fun, though,” he concluded.

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