Exclusive: In conversation with Papon — soulful maestro who brought Assamese folk to the world
Known for his soulful voice and unique blend of Assamese folk music with contemporary genres, Papon aka Angaraag Mahanta is one of the most celebrated folk fusion artiste in India. With a career spanning various musical landscapes, Papon has also enchanted Bollywood fans with hits like Moh Moh Ke Dhaage, Kaun Mera, Labon Ka Karobaar, and Kyon. Recently, he mesmerised the crowd at Phoenix Marketcity in Mumbai for the World Music Festival with Hungama Artist Loud with his captivating performance. We had the pleasure of chatting with Papon, delving into his musical journey, creative process, and the profound connection he shares with his cultural roots.
Here are some excerpts:
What does music mean to you?
It is very difficult to answer this question. Music is what I am surrounded by. So, I do not think out of music. It has been a part of my life since before I was born, as both my parents were great artistes from Assam. So, music happened to me, I guess.
What is the story behind your stage name ‘Papon’?
My name, Papon, is actually how people call me at home. Papon is my pet name, my nickname at home. My close friends used to call me Papon, and that’s how people kind of associated me with it. I thought of keeping my other official name, but I was in a dilemma when I started my career. I once met Gulzar Sahab long back in Kerala. I asked him, and he said that you look and sound like Papon. It’s a sound. It doesn’t say anything about you; it's just a nice sound. It has a nice ring to it and is quite universal and international. So that’s what Papon is.
Can you tell us about your early musical influences and how they shaped your career? Your journey from traditional Assamese music to Bollywood playback singing is quite remarkable. How did this transition happen?
I never had a Bollywood playback singing dream. I still don’t think I am a playback singer. I am a singer-songwriter, producer, composer… I make music. That’s my story. I started listening to music from diverse styles and languages because I am from the North East. There was a lot of Blues Rock influence from Pink Floyd to Bryan Adams to anything. And then because of my family, I had the indigenous folk music influence; my father was known as the Bihu king of Assam, the Bihu samrat. My mom was trained in Hindustani classical, she trained me a bit, and my dad was also a great composer, so ghazals were a lot in my playlist—what you call it now, I had LPs then. So, it was just good music, and I just kept doing music. One day, a song came to me from Bollywood, and then I became a Bollywood artist. So, there’s no transition. I am definitely selective about the kind of sound and songs I want to do. The songs in Bollywood are quite like me, so it helps me keep my integrity to what I love doing.
You’ve collaborated with many artistes across various genres. What has been your most memorable collaboration and why?
There are so many collaborations I have done. Maybe something very mystical is when we were in Scotland—me, Karsh Kale, and the duo from The Libertines. We collaborated for a series called The Dewarists. It was very interesting because we were writing music, and I was singing in Hindi and also Assamese. Carl Barat from Libertines was writing in English, Karsh was also writing. It was quite interesting, the mix and the story we did was very interesting. It’s called Minstrel’s Tale. That is definitely one memorable collaboration.
How do you approach the process of creating a new song? Do you have any specific rituals or routines?
There are different moods and different ways to reach a composition. I just hold the guitar or keyboard. Mostly, while I am travelling, I carry my phone, and when some tune comes to me, I just put it in my phone. There are a lot of audio notes in my phone. Then I come back to my studio and listen to them. Some I find ordinary and discard them. If I find something fresh and extraordinary, I try to go back to the moment I created it. While creating, I use some gibberish words in my composition, so I catch hold of those main words which define the moment and write a story around it.
Can you share some insights into your experience working on the Coke Studio sessions?
Coke Studio was interesting because I was featured in three seasons. Initially, I was called by Leslie Lewis for the first season where I sang Bihu. In the second season, I produced a folk fusion track called Tokari as well as sang for someone I really look up to, one of the greatest musical minds of that time from Asia underground. I sang a beautiful song called Saahil Tak. It was an amazing collaboration because Nitin Sawhney is my all-time favorite. In the third season, I did an entire episode where I did a lot of folk music from Assam, fused with folk music from somewhere else. I composed my own Benaam Khwaayishein and Khumaar. So it is definitely one big chapter of my life which opened me up and gave me the opportunity to experiment at that level.
Music often carries a deep emotional connection. Is there a particular song of yours that holds a special place in your heart?
My first song, Phagunare Pasuwa Baa, always holds a special place because it was written by my uncle, and I composed it—my first song ever. In the Bollywood space, Kaun Mera is special because my father liked it. He composed it too, so it reminds me of him. It is a great composition and a song I will always hold close to my heart.
How do you balance your personal life with your demanding career in the music industry?
I am very private in person. It may seem that I am everywhere, hanging out… there was a time in college life maybe, but mostly, I am very private. I have very limited friends who I actually want to go to, and my family. I really enjoy the company of my kids now. My wife Shweta, she is my soulmate, she has been there forever. We have been together for 25-30 years now. I like spending time with my friends and family. Music is also at home. Music is 24 hours for me, apart from sleeping. I love traveling, so I make it a point to take my kids on four to five vacations a year, all different kinds. In the process, we spend a lot of time together and learn from each other.
What are your thoughts on the current state of the Indian music industry, especially with the rise of independent music?
I think it’s good. It’s a good mix of Indian and film music. I have been in independent music for a very long time, but we did it maybe before its time when we didn’t have a platform, a much better platform to release our music on. So, it’s a great time for musicians to release their music, and even the Bollywood industry has opened up to a lot of indie music. So, it’s a great time.
What are your long-term goals as an artist? Is there a new genre or area in music that you’d like to explore?
I will keep experimenting. I am a person who likes to change the sound every year because people want me to do an album like Jonaki Raati, which was my first album. But I don’t want to repeat what you have heard. Let me try something else. I keep telling my fans that let someone else do it. I like to keep changing my sound.
Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that you’re particularly excited about?
Quite a few. One I am really excited about and hope it releases soon. It’s in the ghazal space… not traditional ghazal, but a new sound that incorporates poetry and ghazal.
As someone who has brought Assamese music to a broader audience, how important is it for you to represent your cultural roots in your music?
It’s not about importance; that’s what one should do. You should represent yourself, and yourself is where you come from. So, if you do not talk about your stories, you are not making music that is yours. While I am doing music that is mine, my roots will naturally come into my music. I consciously want to bring Assamese music to a broader audience. There’s so much music there, and people across the world would love to enjoy it. It’s my responsibility in a way to share it with them.
How do you see the role of regional music in the broader Indian music landscape?
India has so many regions, so many different cultures, melodies and languages. That’s what makes Indian music so amazing. The rest of the world almost has Western music and India itself has so much diversity within that if we don’t listen to and celebrate regional stuff then I don’t know what we are doing. It’s something which has to be there, which must be there.
If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring musicians, what would it be?
Be original, find your own sound and try to find who you are.
Looking back at your career, is there anything you would have done differently?
I would have maybe spent more time learning which I didn’t get an opportunity for because I kind of ran away from music in the pressure of being two very celebrated musicians’ kid. Music found me later.
If you could perform with any artist, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
I would like to collaborate with Nova Jones because I find her space, her soul, her voice, her vibe something similar to what I feel within.
If not music, then…
Music is just a medium which I express through. My travels, the time I spend with people, the food I eat, I explore, all that makes me who I am. Music just shows that flavour of mine.