When one of the most powerful voices of this decade and last, agrees to a solo show, that too in the heart of the city, tickets are bound to get sold out in a flurry. And that’s exactly what happened; Kriti, which is set to host the iconic Lopamudra Mitra’s upcoming gig on January 26, just announced on their Facebook page that a major chunk of their tickets has indeed sold out.
But when we caught up with Lopamudra on a weekday afternoon, the performer seemed untouched by any pre-show jitters. “I’ve been performing without a break this month!” she revealed. Her new show “Bayoneter Samne Lopamudra” will see the seasoned performer belting out some of her choicest and relevant tunes. The singer made some time to tell us what her listeners can expect from her show:
Was the title of the show your idea?
No, actually I had written an opinion piece in one of the dailies where I had said, “today, even songs are sung in front of a bayonet.” That’s something the show planners loved, and that’s where the name comes from. I have my roots in group theatre and I sing Samir Chattopadhyay’s songs which have always been for the masses. So, ‘Gonosongeet’ has always been my oeuvre. Of course, when the songs were written, things around us were very different socially and politically, but they have stayed relevant through ages. I think that’s what makes it truly modern.
Is the show inspired by what’s happening around us?
I’ve always said I’m not a rebel, I don’t go by ‘isms’ but I’m a social being so when I talk about the society and its people, everyone has to listen as it’s true.
Has social media helped you?
Not always.. I’ve seen people prefer seeing my pictures over my music or even over something important. And anybody will tell you the same thing, it’s become superficial. Everything is accessible so easily now on our phones, I feel like it all lacks depth now.
How do you think the industry has changed in the last two decades?
It’s vastly different now. I remember when we started out HMV Studios would actually sponsor our recordings, this is something independent artistes don’t get now. We never had to worry about marketing ourselves because someone else was doing it for us. I’ve never been great at beating my own drum, we never grew up learning this skill.
What are you working on now?
I don’t usually work on albums, the listening habits have changed. It’s more about putting up singles, and I try to keep my YouTube updated with my music. I feel like I’ve sustained because people love my music and they also like me for who I am.