After winning over the audience with their last track Aur Iss Dil Mein, that's entirely different from their romantic genre, the country's most loved rock band Sanam is back to woo us with the second part of the story of compassion love and betrayal in the track, Kya Hua Tera Wada. We have a heart-to-heart chat with band members Sanam Puri (lead vocalist), Keshav Dhanraj (drummer), Venky S (bass guitarist) and Samar Puri (lead guitarist) on the departure from their genre and taking on new musical challenges.
What's the idea behind making the second part of the track, Kya Hua Tera Wada?
Sanam Puri: We often work on 2 or 3 songs simultaneously. While planning our shoot for Aur Iss Dil Mein, we realised that there was another track that fitted the same mood of perfectly. This opened up a whole new world of ideas where we were able to stretch the story out for more of an impact.
Keshav Dhanraj: Sanam had come up with an idea for the zone of the second song. It worked perfectly with the second half of the story line. So while chalking out ideas with our friends from Supari studios, it made complete sense to connect the 2 songs. Shooting two songs together was stressful but a lot of fun too.
Tell us about the composition of the track
Venky S: Our rendition uses musical elements from Synthwave/Retrowave to create tension, mystery, and a lack of resolution that help us resonate with the lyricist Prakash Mehra’s penned words. We’ve used VSTs to stack an array of synths for the bass, pads, arpeggios, percussive drum fills, and a whistle hook w muted electric guitars to add human elements to this electronic pop rock track.
How happy are you with the reaction of Aur Iss Dil Mein?
Samar Puri: We didn’t expect this at all. We thought this change might make some of our fans react differently. But it is amazing to see everyone really appreciate the storyline and the art of creating a mood that goes with the vision of the song.
The track Aur Iss DIl Mein saw you in a never seen before avatar. Why such a sudden shift?
Keshav Dhanraj: Sanam always wanted to do something like this visually. This video concept really fits with the song. Most people have seen us in a different light but honestly, this was more in our comfort zone. The challenging part was the most exciting. We had never done combat training before. So that was new for us.
How have you evolved over the years as a band?
Samar Puri: We have changed a lot over the years both as individuals and as a band. We somehow feel like all we are just beginning to do all the things we wanted to do a long time ago. We have spent the last few years building and strengthening our core. Now that we have a strong base, we are confident about taking some really big and exciting steps ahead.
How the scene is changing for indie bands?
Venky S: Independent music is growing here and allowing artists to create and perform music that they completely believe in. Many cities have new music festivals and pop-up festivals. Hopefully, with the opening of new venues and support from sponsors, there’ll be more regular indie scenes. It’s still tricky, but with conviction and persistence, an indie act can become the next big thing globally with the help of streaming platforms, social media, influencers, or a viral phenomenon.
As musicians, what inspires you?
Sanam: Honestly, there is no limit to what can inspire you. I try my best to not get influenced by anything before I create something new. But I draw inspiration from everything around me without even trying. Inspiration comes from my fiancé, my family, my friends, and my bandmates. I prefer to let things come and go naturally. I’m not usually happy with anything forced.
How pop rock as a genre has gone through changes here?
Keshav Dhanraj: The Indian pop scene is currently in a very experimental zone. It’s hard to tell what new sounds/musical styles will make their way into pop and rock music.
Which Western pop-rock bands do you admire?
Venky S: I have an eclectic taste in music and therefore dig the best artists in most genres of music. I collect records on vinyl, so that allows me to appreciate improvisation in jazz records, the overdubbing talents of Queen on their records, strings/brass on records by famous crooners, the way you when you listen to Motown & Soul/old pop records or even the genius arrangements of people like Brian Wilson for the Beach Boys. My favourites when it comes to pop-rock acts still on the live scene are Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, U2, Coldplay, Blink-182, and Bryan Adams, among others.