The singer – songwriter, who has been topping the charts with his new EP, on the evolution of his music and his choice of career from being a student of Maths to a career change and getting into music, Prateek Kuhad has come a long way. The Delhi based songwriter, who first EP was Raat Baazi in 2013, is the son of a lawyer and an educator whose parents tried to get him into finance.

Verus Ferreira met up with Prateek before to know more about his career and what he really loves doing.

Tell us a little about yourself and how you got into the music business?

As of now I primarily think of myself as a songwriter. I love writing songs and I do everything that I do around that. I grew up in Jaipur, but I started taking writing more seriously when I spent time in New York in college. I was to make a career in finance, but everything changed. That city also really influenced me, in a way.

Is anyone from your family also into music?

No.

Academically what have you done?

I went to high school and then did my bachelors from New York University.

You studied in the US for some time and then returned in 2012. What did you study and why did you decide to return and give music a shot?

I majored in Math and Economics. I had decided I would work for a while and then return to India after that to give music full time a serious shot. That’s what I did. It was the end of 2012 when I decided to become a musician professionally.

As a songwriter, what do your lyrics talk about?? Are there any personal issues you deal with or is everything a matter of fiction?

It’s a mix of both really. Sometimes it’s mostly fiction other times it’s mostly personal.

Do you isolate yourself while composing new music? What is the process you follow while creating new songs?

Yes, I like to be alone when I write. It is an ever-changing process that I find hard to describe.

Can you tell us how the journey has been from you from performing to small crowds in New York, to large venues and crowds at music festivals here in India?

Can’t really describe that journey in a line, but I can say it’s been pleasantly surprising overall.

If someone needed to know your music, what songs would you make them listen to?

Flames, Go, Tune Kaha

You have recorded a lot of music down the years, anything song that is close to your heart that meant a lot to you?

Flames

Do you have a regular band that you tour with, can you tell us who your band members are?

Yes. More often than not it’s Nikhil Vasudevan on drums and Dhruv Bhola on bass.

Indie scene has changed drastically in the past 5 years. What changes have you observed?

It’s has become slightly more professional than it used to be but I haven’t really seen any drastic changes.

In 2015 you released your first full length debut album, ‘In Tokens & Charms’. Why have we not heard anything new?

I’ve been working on my songs. Expect something quite soon.

Do you play any other instrument besides the guitar?

Piano

You entered the world of commercial Bollywood music when you sang a duet with Jasleen Royal, ‘Kho Gaye Hum Kahan’ for the film ‘Baar Baar Dekho’. Are you planning on exploring a few more Bollywood opportunities?

I haven’t actively gone out looking for opportunities in Bollywood yet. If someone reaches out to me I’m happy to work on a project. If a project comes up that really inspires me, I might reach out to them, but hasn’t happened so far, though I have contributed two songs Saansein and Kadam for the film ‘Karwaan’, which is a comedy – drama Bollywood film directed by Akarsh Khurana.

So it’s a song in Hindi. Are you comfortable writing in Hindi?

Yes, the Hindi songs stick around for longer.... and I have done a lot of English songs and mind you not always have I liked what I had done. As I told you earlier, I grew up in Jaipur, so I am comfortable in Hindi. Infact on my new EP which I have just released, I was listening to a lot of old Hindi music from the 1950s and 1960s, especially RD Burman’s works. I also read a lot of Urdu and Hindi poetry by Gulzar, Javed Akhtar and Amrita Pritam.

So now tell us about the new music you’ve released in the last few months?

I just released my new EP Cold/Mess. It’s definitely not a play on the phrase ‘hot mess’. I had two titles in mind, Cold and Mess, both just words plucked out of the first song of the EP. I had scribbled down Cold/Mess and it looked nice. The six song EP was recorded earlier this year in Nashville, where I had taken part in writing sessions last year. The album cover which I conceptualised gives listeners an idea of how this one is different from my previous works.

So can you explain it a bit more in detail?

It basically shows two people kissing underwater. On one hand, it’s beautiful and stunning and on the other, it’s symbolic of suffocation and drowning. The EP was inspired by an intense relationship which I went through.

How has the journey been for you these past few years? What stands out?

It has been a volatile journey. I have poor memory so in this moment when I look back and think about it, nothing stands out.

You did a US tour sometime back. 

Yes, it was a six city tour of the US, and I also performed in private residences around the country, this has been made possible by a company who has had a contest wherein participating in the contest which is managed by an app, where fans may win the opportunity to host me in their living rooms for an intimate, acoustic gig. I actually don’t love club gigs, they don’t really work for my music. In smaller settings, like when I performed in 2015 for the In Tokens and Charms tour in auditoriums and amphitheatres, it more personal. It’s not only because it is just 20 people or so, the bigger advantage is that no sound is required. I am so used to writing songs in my bedroom and the way I hear it myself, that completely changes when I’m on stage.

When not working on music, what keeps you busy?

Logistics, grooming, eating, leisure.

Who do you draw inspiration from?

My inner thoughts. 

Who is your biggest competition?

Destiny

How do you feel about your nomination at the Europe Music Awards in 2019, though you didn’t really make it?

I have won before but it’s always a nice feeling to be nominated. 

Interviewed by Verus Ferreira