For Varun Vasisht, a singer-songwriter from New Delhi, music has always been an escape. It’s only a matter of coincidence that he grew up to pursue this art professionally. A keen observer of the strumming styles of veteran musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, BB King, Santana, John Mayer, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Vasisht showcased considerable interest in mastering the guitar. After a couple of singles titled ‘You’, and ‘Icy’, he produced ‘Clouds of Rain’, which released in September this year.
In this edition of Soundscape, we speak to Vasisht about his musical style, songwriting methodology and process of working on his fresh track, and more. Excerpts from the interview.
Tell us about your musical journey; which artists did you look up to for inspiration?
Some of my earliest memories are of my father and me playing his guitar, an instrument I fell in love with. He taught me the basics, and I eventually learned everything by ear. In my family, each member had a different taste in music, and I grew appreciating a mix of all possible genres. I learned to love old classics from my mother, jazz and blues from my dad, and the current top charts from my sister. I think being exposed to such different music growing up is what makes my music unique. Eventually, when I moved to Singapore for college, being in a different city and going through new experiences, inspired me to write my own songs.
Describe your musical style? Are there any particular genres you prefer?
I have spent most of my time mastering my guitar skills; so my foundation lies in the strings. However, I appreciate music of all sorts and I don’t think restricting myself to a specific genre would do justice to my music. I feel the need to constantly keep learning and evolving, so I keep challenging myself with new instruments and mediums. I play the keys as well, primarily based on guitar theory. Of late, I have been producing my own beats on Ableton [a digital audio workstation], and I’m excited to put this new wave of my music out there.
Tell us a little about the process of working on 'Clouds of Rain'?
On May 6 last year, I woke up in the middle of the night and found myself humming the hook of ‘Clouds of Rain’. I quickly pulled out my guitar and played a verse. The next morning, I wrote the lyrics and worked on the story. We were in the middle of the pandemic, and the lyrics evolved from the thoughts and emotions I was experiencing. Now, as I see it, that was probably something everyone could relate to. This song is a reminder that ultimately, it is the people in your life who matter and make life worth living. The track was recorded at the Delhi’s Ferris Wheel Studios that is run and owned by Mukul Jain who brought in his signature mix and master to the track. He really got my vision, and collaborating with him was creatively satisfying. Bharath Rajeevan, who has played the keys in the song, has also co-produced the track .
What are you working on next?
I have a lot of interesting things in the pipeline. In the next few months, I plan to launch my debut EP , which is a genre-fluid mix of the sounds I’ve been experimenting with so far. I feel that my music has grown way beyond just singer-songwriter acoustic songs. This EP will include more progressive sounds and beats as well. I also plan to perform a few live gigs and collaborate with other artists.