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Here's a music maverick

Last Updated 15 July 2017, 21:23 IST

He's unstoppable. Just back in Mumbai, singer Thomson Andrews has wrapped up a “rather heavy choreography section” for his upcoming dance single ‘Just One Thing’ that was conceptualised and shot in New York. Of course, the funky singer is now busy shooting for ad jingles and more, while basking in the applause that has been flowing in for his recent international pop-funk single, ‘I Got Your Money’.

It was quite challenging putting together all the mechanics of the shoot for filming ‘I Got Your Money’, a song centred around glamour, scandal, cheating and the bubbly Page 3 lifestyle. Confesses Andrews, “While I was touring with Sunidhi Chauhan in USA, my Hollywood-based director friend Stephen Shadrach connected with me to discuss my songs. Being an unsigned Indie artiste, I was aiming to shoot at top-notch locations like Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive and Santa Monica Boulevard. But before I knew it, I was driving around a car in Los Angeles for the shoot. The most unbelievable part was being styled by Hollywood celebrity stylist from Le Maison De Fashions, who has styled the likes of Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga and Beyonce,” says Andrews. He nailed it with the release as BBC had the song trending on its charts for an entire week all over UK and YouTube views crossed the one million mark within seven days. “I couldn’t even dream of this ever happening,” he exclaims.

That’s modesty in full glow as Andrews has been a celebrated name on the global music circuit for years now. He has lent his vocal chords for the background score of the Oscar-nominated Hollywood film 127 Hours for A R Rahman. The latter brought in Andrews for rendering ‘Satyameva Jayathe’ as part of the international album ‘SuperHeavy’, where stalwarts including Mick Jagger, Joss Stone and Damien Marley were on board as well. He has sung in over 17 languages across the world, including performances in Austria, Germany, Korea and France.

What is his favourite pick in comforting croons? “‘Roundhe Hai Mujhko Tera Pyaar’ from the film Pyar Tune Kya Kiya is an all-time haunting song. What soothes me is ‘All Of Me’ by John Legend, ‘Georgia On My Mind’ by Ray Charles, ‘Pearls’ by India Arie, and an all-time favourite is‘Can’t Stop The Feeling’ by Justin Timberlake,” says Andrews. Of course, his own songs from movies including Dhoom 3, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Bang Bang, Happy New Year, Hasee Toh Phasee, Byomkesh Bakshi and Bombay Velvet have been super hits as well.

While Andrews draws his inspiration from a constellation of great voices in Stevie Wonder, Beyonce, Kailash Kher, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Sunidhi Chauhan, he wishes for non-film music to be recognised in a big way in India, just like it is celebrated in the West. “I feel everything is film-soundtrack driven here and that brings in certain challenges. Our music industry is yet to evolve musically, in terms of genres, styles and production elements,” he says. Nevertheless, the “hardcore foodie” stands rooted to his Tamil and Malayali culture, and simply welded to Indian classical and Carnatic music. “Music from South India is super melodious and is the core of my upbringing, along with black gospel music,” he says.

Talking about his eccentric style, he says, “I have always been eccentric in my dressing sense right from the beginning as I love change and experimenting with my looks and hair colour. It comes naturally to me. I always tell people they should love themselves first. Right from my college days, I used to wear different coloured shoes, self-styled bizarre outfits with messed-up hairdos. I still keep experimenting with my appearances: it is fun and keeps monotony away. It is my way to seek the best version of me in different surroundings.”

Meanwhile, for the singer, there are still new horizons to conquer. Coming up are his songs for Jagga Jasoos, Thehra, Nashein Mein Dhutt...and many more. We are all ears.

SHILPI MADAN

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(Published 15 July 2017, 15:44 IST)

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