In the colorful by-lanes of Bangalore, lives an intriguing independent artist. Meet Tushar Mathur, a solo musician who navigates the city and the indie music scene, alike - with his soul and R&B music. In an exclusive interview with The Skadoosh, Tushar shared bits of his musical journey as an unconventional and quirky music artist.
Your bio says that there’s a ‘broke artist’ persona for your music, is that a strategic move for brand identity?
I guess you’re referring to my Spotify bio. That description was written a few years back and it’s a play on how indie musicians are mostly broke. I don’t think it’s got anything to do with my persona or brand building but I just found it really funny so I kept it all these years. So basically, just for shits and giggles.
Your previous releases are more indie in nature, why delve into R&B and Soul music now?
I feel my older stuff was also a bit R&B in nature but my latest EP Snooze has a lot more depth and yes, a lot more R&B/Neo-Soul elements which makes it feel like there’s more of an R&B touch going on there. I guess I haven’t thought about this too much, I just make stuff I like making and fortunately (or unfortunately), it falls into a certain bucket of genres which helps me hone into my sound and I guess I’m slowly figuring that out.
Tell us more about your latest EP release, Snooze.
This EP reflects a time when I felt confused about many things, caught in a constant state of limbo between action and inaction as if I was hitting the snooze button on life. It explores moments of weakness and hesitation, but also the pivotal moments that led to some much-needed self-discovery.
What themes do you find recurring in your music? Why?
Absolutely devastating topics like love and heartbreak. The reason being that I went through all of that and I felt the best way to put those feelings behind me was to put everything into the forefront of my life again by writing music about it. Not sure why I did that but here we are.
You’ve asserted that you’re a great fan of Tom Misch and FKJ. How does their music influence your artistic endeavors?
Yes, very heavily. I’d kinda also like to be Tom Misch in my next life. On a serious note, I draw a lot of inspiration from the kind of sounds these guys produce, I love Tom’s guitars and the style with which it’s played, I think it’s super groovy and I try to emulate that in my own music.
Indie musicians are on the rise and the Indian music scene could be quite competitive. What makes your sound unique?
I think a strong focus on marketing and narrowing down what my goals are with this EP helps to get the word out. Besides that, in terms of the sound, I think I’ve taken a few elements from different artists I’ve been inspired by so maybe that gives it sort of a unique touch. I don’t know but I do know that it’s a good chill vibe and if the marketing is done right, I think I’ll manage to get some ears listening to my music.
What’s the best and worst part about being a musician in Bangalore?
Best - You get to meet a lot of like-minded talented musicians
Worst - There are hardly any venues in town that truly support indie music so that’s kind of a bummer.
How would you describe your music journey in just a word?
Hiatus. (Considering how I haven’t released music in over 4 years.)
What do you think is the purpose of your music?
At this point, I’m honestly just releasing music for myself. I’ve been sitting on these tracks for a really long time and I think it’s time to get it all out. If I had to define a purpose, I’d say it’s to remind myself that I can still make music.
What are your future plans?
I’d definitely like to release another single in 2024 and get back to consistently working on music down the line. Hopefully, form a band and do a couple of shows in and around the city.
Any word of advice for upcoming musicians?
Unfortunately, life as an independent musician is one of the worst things that can happen to you financially, so find a side hustle while you make music. That way you can stick around and play the long game and hopefully, it all works out.
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