Within a span of seven years Meghdeep Bose has been commissioned as a music arranger and producer by the likes of Amaal Mallik, Amit Trivedi, AR Rahman, Pritam, Salim-Sulaiman, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Vishal-Shekhar and film and television projects like ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’, ‘MS Dhoni’, ‘Beecham House’ and upcoming biopic of Indian Badminton Champion Saina Nehwal.

Having worked on songs and scores for almost 100 films so far, Meghdeep’s work have a cumulative count of more than 1.5 billion hits on YouTube alone. Meghdeep won the Indian Recording Arts Academy Awards (IRAA) consecutively for three years (2017-19) for producing and arranging songs Bol Do Na Zara (2017) and Uff Ye Noor (2018) and Maya (2019).

Recently he released his second single Maine Dekha Hai, the second release on the newly formed Bohemia Junction Recording Co. label.

Verus Ferreira spoke to Meghdeep Bose about his new single, how he balances being a Bollywood music producer and Independent artist.

Most people will know you from the work you have done in Indian films for the likes of Amaal Mallik, Amit Trivedi, AR Rahman, Pritam, Salim-Sulaiman, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Vishal-Shekhar. Releasing your own music independently is a new step - How have you managed the transition to independent music of your own?

I have extensively and in my mind effectively arranged and produced music for stalwart composers of the Indian Cinema and this has always been enriching and satisfying and I wish that it goes on. Over the past few years I created and imagined lots of music while being completely consumed by the works of Indian film music. For those many years while working for the films I was waiting for myself to arrive at an evolved and mature state, both financially, personally and professionally, to adequately manage and finish my own expressions in music. By the beginning of 2020 I felt that I’ve inculcated within me enough skills and to a certain degree a decent level of maturity as a human and a professional to express my point of view in music efficiently and hence I put a release date to a lot of those ideas and also for newer ones.

Tell us a bit about your musical background?

I am the fourth generation in a family of musicians that is extremely rich in terms of culture and art. My father, Mr. Dilip Bose established himself as the first music producer and arranger of Central India who efficiently established an independent music production system that functioned independent of any Governmental broadcast systems and facilities in the late 80s. The time of my childhood and teenage was spent mostly observing my father working with first class musicians and producing records. My father never imposed any classical training upon me from childhood and rather allowed me choose my influences and in future my mentors.

You are multi disciplined when it comes to music. What instruments do you play and do you work solely as an individual or do you have a team?

I am a trained pianist, untrained guitarist and vocalist and have a basic training in tabla. Recently I’ve taken up learning modular synthesis and have been simultaneously incorporating it as a crucial part of my music. Speaking of team work, I usually handpick a team of my friends and co-writers only when I am composing a film or television score. But apart from that I prefer to write and produce everything myself.

Who are your musical influences?

AR Rahman, Yanni, Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Salim-Sulaiman to name a few.

What are your further ambitions with you music?

I envision to bring forth a fresh perspective to Indian Classical, Light Classical and Folk music on a Global Platform. The recent Ghazal Maine Dekha Hai and my score in the much appreciated short film ‘The Lonely Prince’ are illustrative of what I am aiming at. My previous release Sunrise in the West features Dilshad Khan who is one of the finest sarangi players in today’s times. I am looking at more of such collaborations with such stalwarts of Indian Classical music so as to manifest something genuine to the core of Indian music yet globally acceptable.

Has there been a pivotal moment in your career that can was an indication of what was to come? A turning point or helping hand? A great opportunity?

Two songs so far have been decisive in my career as a music arranger and producer for Indian film music. Main Hoon Hero Tera (Composed by Amaal Mallik & Lyrics Kumar) released in 2015, got the ball rolling for me. The song was our breakthrough and it established my role as a music producer primarily for romantic genre. I was looking for a breakthrough so that I could reinstate my image as a versatile producer. In 2017, ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ with Vishal and Shekhar happened and the song Swag Se Swagat finally checked all boxes for me. I’ve always been inclined towards Symphonic Orchestral Music since my younger days. In December 2018, AR Rahman sir assigned two of his precious songs to me to re-arrange for the Grand Philharmonic Orchestra from London to perform later that month in a live performance. Since my teenage days it a dream to even meet him and this assignment was all the more surreal to me, considering how his music has shaped an entire generation of kids like me. During one of the rehearsals I got my arrangement’s score autographed by him and framed it. I feature it on my studio’s wall with great pride and gratitude.

Has there been any advice that you had when younger that you took on board and has impacted your career?

My father’s advice has been one of the founding stones of my career. He once said to me in my early teens that money and fame are secondary, but staying true and sincere to your music must remain the utmost prior function in your life. I’ve also believed that giving 100% percent is mandatory and not a choice in music and so every project that has come to my desk has never seen any discrimination on grounds of its scale-of-promotion or the stature of the artist(s) involved. I’ve also realised that spirituality is crucial in order establish an emotional connect through your music.

What you say to new artists coming up into the industry? What advice?

I’d like to express that an artist should work in a manner that there shouldn’t be any regrets when looking back at their works from the future.

Meghdeep’s latest release is out now through Bohemia Junction Recording Co. on all streaming platforms

Interviewed by Verus Ferreira