Musician Shivam Lohia talks about his latest release, Her 

Shivam Lohia (25) from Model Town recalls that had it not been for his father’s passion for music, Lohia might not have been what he is today
Shivam Lohia
Shivam Lohia

Shivam Lohia (25) from Model Town recalls that had it not been for his father’s passion for music, Lohia might not have been what he is today. Urged by his father—who even bought him his first guitar—to take up music as a hobby, Lohia started playing the instrument when he was 13. “At that age, I never knew that music would eventually turn out to be such an important aspect of my life,” shares the songwriter-guitarist.  
Often recognised by his Instagram handle ‘Percussive Strings’, Lohia has, over the years, found his niche in the indie music space with his signature percussive guitar style. His latest release, Her, is a soulful rendition that speaks of the emotions that one feels after a breakup. Produced by Delhi-based producer Kartik Ahuja, the song features Lohia’s groovy strings along with Manipur-bred vocalist John Oinam’s soft vocals. In this week’s Soundscape, we speak to Lohia about his songwriting process, the creation of Her, and more.

Excerpts… 

What is your songwriting process like?

Creating a song means sharing a part of my life. You cannot create a good song without being honest. I have always been considered a guitarist before a composer. However, I see myself as a songwriter before a guitarist. It usually starts with a small riff for me; I just keep playing until something comes to me on its own. All you need is a small base to start with and to find the initial sound and vibe. Starting it is the tough bit, not finishing it.

Walk us through the creation of Her and your thoughts while writing it?
Being a non-vocalist, I believed that it would be difficult to express one’s own emotions through someone else’s voice. However, creating Her proved that it wasn’t impossible. I finished writing the song back in 2018 but took more than three years to build everything around it—from a perfect mix to an animated video. I wanted the final sound to reflect my growth as a musician and to justify my years’ worth of effort spent in its making. 

Talk to us about making the video for the song... 
I had always dreamt of having my own animated music video someday and I am glad that I could make that dream possible with the help of animator, illustrator, and creative designer Daniel Fuscella from Brazil. Despite the language barrier, Daniel and I worked for months to create a visual storyline for the song using a translator, since his native language is Portuguese.

Anything interesting that you’re working on next?
Even though I had been working rigorously on this release for the past three years, I kept writing about new stories and old stories along the way. I have so much to share in the coming months. You can expect new collaborations with some well-known artists from the indie scene.

‘Her’ by Shivam Lohia streaming on all leading platforms

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