After waiting for almost a decade, Nishtha Sachdeva has finally picked seven of her best songs, and has compiled them into her debut album titled 'Minor Epiphany'. The eight-track album also includes a cover version of the Michael Jackson's hit track Human Nature.
This Delhi-based talent never imagined that a Michael Jackson cover would find its way onto her album, yet it did after Saibal Basu - a renowned producer in the music circuit insisted on its inclusion. Basu has produced, recorded and mixed the album.
Her fondness for Jackson's track can also been attributed to her interaction with King of Pop's vocal coach – Dorian Holley, who guided her during her stint at the LA Music Academy.
During her live gigs, the MJ fan, also often covers some the late pop star’s other tracks, including Man in the Mirror. Nishtha could very well perform the MJ cover at the launch of ‘Minor Epiphany’ on 19 February. Apart from Jackson, the artist draws major influence from the likes of British rock band- Queen, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, The Doors, Alanis Morissette, Porcupine Tree, Portishead and Coldplay, to name a few. These influences have, in many ways, inspired her to create her upcoming album. She believes that her album is a collection of the best songs she has written from the age of 18.
While most of the tracks on 'Minor Epiphany' are love songs, one particular track 'Stones in Vain' talks about idol worship. “Music is a powerful medium which makes you feel and act. Music inspires millions to behave or act in a certain way or to push things in different directions. I hope that someday, I can use the power of music to help and heal, to love and inspire and to do better for human beings,” reveals 27-year old.
Nishtha began her musical journey over a decade ago, when she bought her first musical instrument- a guitar – at the age of 16 and learned to play it with the help of the internet. During her time at Berklee College of Music (Boston), she was overwhelmed with theoretical side of music, which led her to re-consider her decision of taking up music. At that time, she went on to explore her other creative side by trying her hands at fashion, however, music stayed with her throughout her journey. While attending a course at the National Institute of Fashion Technology in Mumbai, she was introduced to several musicians, and over a course of time started performing with them at blueFROG, Jazz By The Bay and Hard Rock Cafe.
“During my days in Mumbai as a student of fashion, I realised that music is my one and only true love and no matter where I went and what I did, that was all I could do,” avers Nishtha. It was around the same time that she wrote her first song Here Right Now. And since then, she has continued to follow her heart and her music journey.