JOIN USIt is passion and interest that brings the like-minded together. Coming from different walks of life, ‘Saptaswara’, a City-based band, is an eclectic collection of personalities united in their purpose to make music in Kannada and Hindi.
Started nearly a year ago, the group has gone from being a college band to performing in quite a number of stage shows. It was named ‘Saptaswara’ as it consists of seven members — Akash Jadhov S N on the keyboard, Raghu Raghavendra on lead vocals, Rakesh Dath on the flute, Sanketh Kumar on the bass guitar, Rahul as the guitarist, Arpith Bhonsley on drums and Roshan Jagatjyothi as the percussionist, and comprises both students and working professionals.
With every show, the band has gained immense support and love from their fans. These seven members have set the stage on fire at various events including ‘Saarang’ – organised by IIT Madras, The Oxford College Festival, professional gigs and music festivals. The band is planning to compose a new album called ‘Intizar’, which is set to release by the end of this year.
Meanwhile, they continue to perform gigs in and around the City. The members were always inclined towards music and it was just a matter of time before they formed the band. The band mostly performs in Kannada and Hindi. “We want to encourage Indian languages through our music. We have also written songs in English,” says Raghu. The band is known for its powerful stage presence and enthralling music which is almost palpable.
Each of the members is influenced by various genres of music and this has added to the musical growth of the band.They all have a certain responsibility and when all come together, it is one exciting show. Talking about the music scene in the City, Rakesh says, “The music scene in the City is amazing. There is a lot of talent and no dearth of opportunity. Music is democratic and caters to the taste of the people. There is harmony between both musicians and people which has taken the music to a higher level.”
The band members feel that social media and technology have benefitted the musicians. Musicians these days have a wider reach and better visibility and also they get to constantly interact with their fans and obtain instant feedback. Of various shows the band has performed in different cities, Mysuru has been the best, says Akash. “The audience was new to our music and accepted us really well. Performing in Mysuru was one of the happiest moments in our lives,” he sums up.