Soulgroove on soulful reggae and their India Tour journey
Shillong-based band Soulgroove was born out of siblings John and Elza Rymbai’s love for music during their early school days. There wasn’t any direction or vision then, but there was room for the band to grow. When Zediah Hynniewta joined the band in 2017, the members began getting to know each other more musically and started working towards building an identity, which is probably when the band was truly formed.
“I guess our shared love for reggae and music in general, and the wish to express, inspire and be inspired, led to the Soulgroove that we know today,” says John. They performed at the Cherry Blossom Festival recently. John, Elza and Zediah sit down with Indulge for a fun chat!
Excerpts:
How would you describe your music genre?
Elza: We call our sound soulful reggae. Reggae is the heart of our music, but you can also hear some soul, jazz and blues elements in the mix.
Who are your inspirations?
Zediah: We are heavily inspired by reggae artiste Mike Love, Groundation, Bob Marley, and our very own reggae pioneers from Shillong, the band Dewdrops.
You are a decade-old band. When you planned for the band, was rap already popular in India? Was forming the band a childhood or teenage plan?
Zediah: Hip hop and RnB music have always been popular in India right from the late ’90s. I guess forming the band literally was a teenage plan for John and Elza.
You have done an India tour. How difficult is it for regional, indie bands to go on a national tour?
Elza: Touring as an independent band isn’t easy, especially for artistes playing non-mainstream music. There’s a lot to handle on your own, from travel and logistics to gear and accommodation, and it can be tough financially without big sponsors or a label. But touring is important for us to grow and connect with new listeners, so we made it happen with the help and guidance of our management team. We were also really fortunate to get support from the Chief Minister’s grant, which helped cover some costs and made the tour run smoothly.
Music bands are often very commonly seen in middle and high schools. Were you also part of school bands? If yes, how have you evolved over the years?
Zediah: I was in a school band from St. Edmund’s School called ReChords, and John and Elza had Soulgroove. We actually used to compete against each other during inter-school competitions and that’s how we became friends before I joined the band. I feel we’ve definitely grown a lot from who we were earlier. For us now, it’s not just about playing because we love music. Yes, that’s very important, but now we play with intention. We write, compose, and sing to be a voice for someone out there or to have a voice of our own, expressing our truest self through our melodies, lyrics, and rhythms.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma is a musician himself. Is that an extra support for you, or is he supportive of independent artistes across genres?
John: Like we said earlier, the CM’s grant helped us a lot on our debut tour India on Fyah, and we’re forever grateful. The CM’s Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project has also brought out many untapped talents from every corner of the state. But independent artistes will still be independent artistes, I guess. We still have to grind it out on our own. Soulgroove gets extra support and love from the small but mighty music community of Shillong.
Apart from the government, who else helps in the growth of indie musicians?
John: Personally for the band, we started to grow because of people like Zack Nongkynrih (former owner of Mellow Mood Cafe) and Jeff Laloo (owner of The Evening Club), who always gave us, and a lot of other bands and artistes, the opportunity to play at their venues even when we were amateurs still trying to learn and understand the art of playing live. Other musicians and mentors like Keith Wallang and Manavon Massar also taught us and paved the way for us. I feel the music community, no matter how small, does help in the growth of indie bands in the Northeast, as far as I know.
Where do you think Northeast musicians stand on the national music map?
Elza: I think music from the Northeast has come a long way. There’s so much talent and creativity here, and people are starting to notice that more across the country. But at the same time, we’re still a bit on the fringe of the national scene, not because of a lack of quality, but mostly due to exposure and limited infrastructure. It’s improving, though. With social media, festivals, and more collaborations happening, artistes are slowly getting the spotlight they deserve. There’s still a long way to go, but we’re definitely carving out our own space on the national map.
Upcoming projects or songs?
John: We’re currently working on an album, and a few singles from it may come out in the next few months.
Do you have plans to venture into film songs?
Zediah: If it aligns with our vibe and sound, we’d love to give it a shot.