<p>For Cyril Prince, songs happen when emotions shape themselves through words. The singer-songwriter, who is all set to bring out some singles, feels that music is what makes things go around for him. In a candid chat with Tini Sara Anien, he sheds light on his journey so far. <br /><br />Your first stint with music...<br />My grandfather used to encourage me to sing at the church. Till my engineering days, it was all about winning competitions. It was after this that I realised I wanted to become a professional musician. I had some time and I started a band where I interacted with some dedicated musicians. The discipline I saw there is what made me want to continue music seriously. <br /><br />How did you take it forward?<br />I realised that I had to take it one step ahead and I had to study about sound engineering, if I wanted to produce songs. I got into teaching at Octavium Music Academy where everyone else was from a different genre and getting along with these varied styles was challenging. Dealing with these challenges is what kept me going. <br /><br />What made you turn into a singer-songwriter?<br />Initially, singing was about fun and excitement. But now it is about survival — in a way that I’m emotionally dependent on doing what I do. I’m a singer, guitarist, songwriter and producer and it’s like satisfying four different personalities and progressing ahead. When all these four inner people come together, it’s an unbeatable feeling.<br /><br />The challenges you faced as a musician...<br />The challenges include understanding the audience an artiste needs and where one can find them. Even if an artiste finds this audience, the venues or the spaces <br />have to provide one a slot, which depends on varied factors like the brand name and having contacts. It took me a while to understand that filtering the audience is a gradual process.<br /><br />A few of your compositions...<br />‘Grey Life’ was about the relationship between a smoker and the cigarette. I was writing about addictions and I explored this song. I had written ‘Barren War’, which <br />is about a person who does a job only for the money; he doesn’t like the work or the people there. Another interesting song was ‘Shadows of Memories’ which was a song about breakup. <br /><br />Your music is influenced by...<br />I was influenced by ‘Metallica’, ‘Megadeth’, ‘Tool’, ‘Porcupine Tree’ and Steven Wilson initially. At the moment, I am into progressive music and I also like Indian artistes with bands like ‘Avial’ and ‘Thaikkudam Bridge’, and Prateek Kuhad. <br /><br />What inspires you to pen a song?<br />It’s extreme emotions that trigger the creative energy in me. I do a lot of self-analysis and my guitar helps me shape what’s going on within me. <br /><br />Your latest project...<br />I’m planning to work on a few singles which will come together as an EP later on. The singles I have worked on include ‘Unwind’, which is about my relationship with my guitar. I have a very intimate bond with my guitar. <br /><br />My guitar helps me analyse things. ‘Expectations’ is about expectations from the people around. ‘Sweet Memories’ is about the space in my life.</p>
<p>For Cyril Prince, songs happen when emotions shape themselves through words. The singer-songwriter, who is all set to bring out some singles, feels that music is what makes things go around for him. In a candid chat with Tini Sara Anien, he sheds light on his journey so far. <br /><br />Your first stint with music...<br />My grandfather used to encourage me to sing at the church. Till my engineering days, it was all about winning competitions. It was after this that I realised I wanted to become a professional musician. I had some time and I started a band where I interacted with some dedicated musicians. The discipline I saw there is what made me want to continue music seriously. <br /><br />How did you take it forward?<br />I realised that I had to take it one step ahead and I had to study about sound engineering, if I wanted to produce songs. I got into teaching at Octavium Music Academy where everyone else was from a different genre and getting along with these varied styles was challenging. Dealing with these challenges is what kept me going. <br /><br />What made you turn into a singer-songwriter?<br />Initially, singing was about fun and excitement. But now it is about survival — in a way that I’m emotionally dependent on doing what I do. I’m a singer, guitarist, songwriter and producer and it’s like satisfying four different personalities and progressing ahead. When all these four inner people come together, it’s an unbeatable feeling.<br /><br />The challenges you faced as a musician...<br />The challenges include understanding the audience an artiste needs and where one can find them. Even if an artiste finds this audience, the venues or the spaces <br />have to provide one a slot, which depends on varied factors like the brand name and having contacts. It took me a while to understand that filtering the audience is a gradual process.<br /><br />A few of your compositions...<br />‘Grey Life’ was about the relationship between a smoker and the cigarette. I was writing about addictions and I explored this song. I had written ‘Barren War’, which <br />is about a person who does a job only for the money; he doesn’t like the work or the people there. Another interesting song was ‘Shadows of Memories’ which was a song about breakup. <br /><br />Your music is influenced by...<br />I was influenced by ‘Metallica’, ‘Megadeth’, ‘Tool’, ‘Porcupine Tree’ and Steven Wilson initially. At the moment, I am into progressive music and I also like Indian artistes with bands like ‘Avial’ and ‘Thaikkudam Bridge’, and Prateek Kuhad. <br /><br />What inspires you to pen a song?<br />It’s extreme emotions that trigger the creative energy in me. I do a lot of self-analysis and my guitar helps me shape what’s going on within me. <br /><br />Your latest project...<br />I’m planning to work on a few singles which will come together as an EP later on. The singles I have worked on include ‘Unwind’, which is about my relationship with my guitar. I have a very intimate bond with my guitar. <br /><br />My guitar helps me analyse things. ‘Expectations’ is about expectations from the people around. ‘Sweet Memories’ is about the space in my life.</p>
