One of the highlights of the Mahindra Blues Festival 2023 held in February this year was the guitar wizardry of 29-year-old Argentinean musician Ivan Singh.

Singh has played not only in his heartland Argentina, but all over America, Europe blossoming in the company of blues legend Buddy Guy. He has shared the stage with the likes of Lurrie Bell, Jimmy Burns, Lil ‘Ed Williams, Billy Branch, Omar Coleman, Robert Randolph, Chris Cain (Albert King) and Tony Coleman (BB King), Charly Garcia, Don Vilanova Botafogo and many others.

Singh claims to have roots in India and so over a short chat we go back in time to check out his story. 

So this is your first experience in India, how has it been?

I love it. I'm feeling so blessed together. It was a chance to come here all the way from Chicago with my buddies and with the master, my idol, the unique Buddy Guy. We've been playing in many places, but I don't think, at least for me, any of them was so special like this one and not only cause I gathered a root connection with this country, it is the first time that I'm here, the first one in my family history to get back after 120 years since my great great grandpa lived in India. The place here is magical, man. The people are super nice and the love that we've been receiving since we got here was amazing. The show and the after show was like just so magical. You know, so I'm super happy, I'm super blessed, and I find this opportunity like unique for my lifetime as a musician and my personal life too.

You said your grandfather lived here?

Yeah. Well, I don't know. I don't know almost nothing. I just know that my great grandfather was from here, he left India in 120 years ago and got to Argentina. His name was Kursing, but I don't know more than that. Then he married a Spanish woman in Argentina, again my grandpa married another Spanish woman and my mom married an Italian German guy and so he's my dad. But I would never think that my big debut would be here in India. So everything got like a full circle, and that makes it pretty special.

But how do you get the surname Singh?

Well, because that's the name of my grandpa, and in Argentina, you get both, you got your mom’s and your dad’s surname. So I got it too, so I am Ivan Gomez Singh in my passport. But when I decide to, like, for my music career, my name is Ivan Singh, just like an artistic name, but it is my real name too.

So do you have any siblings back home?

I'm the only son of my mom, her name is Miriam Singh. She raised me by herself. She's a doctor, she loves the Blues and that is why I play this music because she raised me with this kind of music. I don't have any family left. I’m all by myself. But I might have some cousins here in Punjab. So I'm, hoping to get back soon. The next time I want to go shopping and try to figure out a little bit of the history on the roots of my life.

Coming to the Blues Festival, what kind of Blues is your style?

Well, it’s gonna be Chicago Blues, because I got my band members there from Chicago, you know, I've been playing forever. The bass player that I bring was John Primer, who was Muddy Waters guitar player for 15 years and the drummer was Coco Taylor drummer Ryan Tea and Gary is from The Backstreet Boys. This is like a funky band of Chicago from the 90s. Super famous was the guy on the saxophone. So they got the Chicago Sound and roots, but I bring some kind of Latin Blues, cause I mix the Spanish English with that and I like to bring the rhythms like I did my version of Maria Maria as it showed everything is connected. Music is a universal language and any music almost comes from the Blues.

When you entered the stage during your set, you played a beautiful song. Can you tell us something about it?

This song that I was playing when I was walking to the stage is an original one called ‘Sylviake’, which means ‘the journey’, so we are in this Spanish journey. It's an Indian blues song. I used that song to walk to the stage because it's where my roots come from. When I play slide, I love to play Blues slide, but I find out the sound of the sitar, so I tried to get that kind of sound of slide.

You used a peculiar looking instrument which you call the ‘Lata da Batata (sweet potato can)’ in the song?

So it’s an instrument that has four strings. It’s basically a can –box slide guitar. It is crafted from a potato tin box beyond the traditional style, which gives out a sound very close to the sitar. You need to hear it to really get the feeling into you.

Have you heard of Indian music?

I love it, actually. When we entered the hotel they welcomed us with Indian music and then they played music from Punjab. So I am getting into the mood now for Indian music and the music from Punjab.

You been to India for last four days, have you tasted any of the Indian food?

Ohh amazing man. I have some people to take us around. We did some shopping and we’re having some good food too. Everything is great. I mean it's a big smash of reality being here in many ways for good, for not that good, but for real. I'm getting back to the (United) States with a different perspective of life too. I think I’ll connect with the real stuff and get to know more spiritual for real.

Any particular dish or food that you tasted here?

We get chicken wings in America, but the chicken wings here is so different, it’s made so differently. We also had a cheesy naan. The food is amazing. When we arrived, they didn’t let us eat a lot before the festival, but now the festival is already done (Laughs) so they take us out and let us eat whatever we want. So if we get fucked up, it's not a problem.

So besides the guitar, you play any other instruments?

The guitar my instrument, but I play a little bit piano, a little bit drums, a little bit bass, a little bit trumpet. I like to play a little bit of everything too, because I like to record in my house, you know. And sometimes I try to play everything, but it’s just demos.

Interviewed by Verus Ferreira