JOIN USBe it their peppy track Harr saans main from the movie Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge or songs like Jag Changa, Yaadon ki Kyaari or Lokada Kalaji – The Raghu Dixit Project ensures they spread positivity and happiness through their music.
The band, which is always dressed in simple dhoti-kurtas, aims to reach out to their audience and strike the right notes, irrespective of the language or the genre of songs they sing.
Though the band has performed numerous times in Delhi, they are coming back for the much awaited Bacardi NH7 Weekender, scheduled to be held on November 28 and 29. So, ahead of their performance, Metrolife caught up with Dixit, where he talks about his band and the current music scenario.
Excerpts:
What are your views about platforms like Bacardi NH7 Weekender for indie bands?
I think they have changed the game for indie music in India. We were always seen as a niche or a fringe industry, and the Bacardi NH7 Weekender was the first real move towards a significant mainstream audience we have seen. It is fantastic to see the festival grow to what it has become over the years.
Why do you think such festivals are becoming increasingly popular among youngsters?
Well, it is great entertainment and immense value for money. And not just youngsters, but everyone sees that today. I think India was always waiting for a quality music festival that has a great vibe and the weekenders provided that and more.
What kind of music do you feel most loved by youngsters?
Good music! And I say that irrespective of genre or language or industry. I think we are finally starting to accept that one person can like multiple genres and by nature we are multi-lingual so it is completely normal to like a metal band as well as the Raghu Dixit Project and indulge in the occasional item number at the same time. I think we should move past the stereotypes, and do that very quickly.
Does your music address social concerns?
I have tried to stay away from social commentary through my music though the content of the songs and the lyrics that I use have very strong social messages. I see how music affects people and at least for me personally, I would want my music to spread joy and make people smile.
Where do you see your band in the current music scene?
I don’t usually spend time on such comparisons. We have a plan for our music and we are trying our best to achieve that. This is a passion for me and my livelihood, so I don’t want to look at it as a race where all of us need to be placed in a ranking system.
Live performance or playback singing?
Both, and they have their own places. I have always shied away from pure playback singing but have started doing some now and it has made me expand and realise my own potential as a singer.
You have made music for a few Bollywood movies in the past. Has that affected your creative space in any way?
It’s not right to assume that making music for Bollywood or any industry for that matter is any less creative. It takes immense creativity to make music that is liked by the masses and that fits a movie situation and is along the lines of what the director and producer and the entire team had in mind.
In the coming years, if time demands, will The Raghu Dixit Project entirely get into Bollywood?
The Raghu Dixit Project is my personal space to explore my music. I will definitely love to compose more often for Bollywood or any movie industry. So the short answer to the question is no, but Raghu Dixit as a composer is definitely interested in working in the movie industry.