In mood for indie music? Head to this Andheri gig this weekend

Karshni Nair performs at a previous concert; (right) Andrew Sabu in performance

Mumbai-based singer-songwriters Karshni Nair and Andrew Sabu have been performing for over six years across the country. Nair arrived in Mumbai in 2018 from Pune and spent two years in the city during her college days. She returned a year ago and since then, has been working on putting out more music. Sabu, on the other hand, began his journey in the city, and has travelled to various cities to perform.

With a lot more happening in the independent music industry in India presently, musicians have been trying to find their own space within it. They are not afraid of taking risks and creating within less popular genres. "The music we make is mellow and light; we've got guitar, vocals, and keys. But it's indie-folk English music, which has a niche audience in the country. And even within that, there aren't many musicians engaging with it," says Sabu. Connecting sonically, he and Nair have been wanting to work together for years. This Sunday, they will be putting together a collaborative set in Versova.

Interestingly, today, singer-songwriters are also getting more comfortable writing from vulnerable spaces. Most recently, Mumbai-based Tejas Menon's new EP Museum explores his strained relationship with his father. Meanwhile, Sanjeeta Bhattacharya's new single, Kaash comes from the dreadful realisation of watching innocence fade away. Nair and Sabu, too, admit to writing from personal experiences. Nair, who has also tinkered with poetry, reveals, "Like poems, this ability comes naturally in music too - to be uninhibited while writing [the songs]." Sabu nods, "I write music for myself first. It's an extension of who I am. I guess that's why the genre of indie-folk is niche. We could make curated music for people and it would do well. But this - what I write - reflects my personality."

Both Nair and Sabu believe that the best way to get noticed by an audience today is by creating more. Tours are the second step. "If we play a gig or two [with limited music], the audience would not have anything more to listen to," says Sabu. To this, Nair adds that she wishes to also create more pieces of art around her music, for instance, music videos.

Opportunities for singer-songwriters seem scarce today despite the interest. Nair observes that there are a lot of electronic gigs to which people prefer going. They enjoy dancing to the music. Some genres, especially those that require a bit of an emotional release, often get left behind. "There aren't too many promoters pushing this kind of music," Sabu notes. That's why this gig in a more intimate space is important for the two. It's one of the few ways that they can physically reach out to an audience. "You've to curate your own show and bring people to them over and over again. This is the start of that for us," he concludes.

ON May 26; 7 pm onwards
AT Harkat Studios, Aram Nagar Part 2, Versova, Andheri West.
ENTRY Rs 550
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