Raghav & Arjun on their latest track Alvida and love beyond social norms

Having friends from the LGBTQ+ community, we have some idea of how difficult it is to come out and live authentically. We will probably never fully understand how suffocating it must be not to be able to love, which is the most basic, natural human expression. The song, however, speaks about all forms of love that go beyond society’s idea of ‘normal’. One of us is also in an interfaith relationship and understands the hardship of imagining a future together within the social fabric of our society. The song draws meaning from these experiences; it’s about resilient love, a love that persists no matter what.

The contrast in their voices is stark, yet they blend beautifully. We were looking for a certain texture for the first verse, the one who is strong and urging the other to be brave and stay together and a softer voice for the second, the one who is afraid but loves deeply. We found those characters in their voices. We had previously worked with Anubha on our single Tu Yahaan, and we had had Kamakshi on our radar for a while. This felt like the perfect song.

There were. The biggest challenge was to remain sensitive and not undermine the experiences of those who live through such realities. We wanted to humanise it and place it in the same space as any other form of love. In its honesty, the song simply speaks about the things two lovers wish to do, while quietly expressing how they feel. It’s a dialogue between two people who just wish they could live as lovers do.

Art unsettles those who are conditioned and comforts those who are wounded. It first creates discomfort, then soothes with new ideas. Music, with or without words, does this beautifully. It shakes the blanket and then clears the dust that rises. That’s the power of art, and music sits at the top with its ability to connect across communities and divides.”

Yes and no. Lyrically, we speak broadly about anyone who is not allowed to love because of their gender identity, religion, socio-economic background, and so on. The presentation through the voices tells a homosexual love story. As artists, we try to place ourselves in someone else’s position and create through empathy and our limited understanding. The only real dilemma was whether we were sensitive and mature enough in our portrayal.

Yes. Our first song Mehfooz touches on mental health. We also released Jhoomelo with Mohit Chauhan, which highlighted the migration of Garhwali communities away from the mountains. We are constantly trying to educate ourselves and will continue creating meaningful art whenever it calls to us.