Shravan Bohra, like any twenty-year-old, is figuring out his life as he goes. However, his eternal love for music is one thing that he is very certain of. A guitarist with more than sixty covers on various platforms and two original compositions, Shravan knows his interest in music is no longer limited as a hobby. His ambition strives to gain more in the field. So taking one step at a time, he is on his way to make a future out of his passion. 

Shravan has been connected with the strings of a guitar since middle school. He has fond memories of a teacher he used to adore, who would bring his guitar in classes to make them more fun. Shravan’s appreciation of music began there, and he silently picked up an interest in it. It was the same teacher who would offer his guidance to teach him the basics of guitar. From taking crowded buses to walking long distances in order to reach for his lessons, Sharvan dedicated a lot as a kid to learn to play this instrument. Little did he know then that this hobby would end up becoming his full-time passion. 

Later, however, Youtube was to become his next “adopted Guru”, as he likes to say. He would download tons of videos and lessons for practice. He reveals how he explored many different styles but ended up sticking with Fingerstyle guitar purely because it was challenging to master. After giving it ample time for practice, he succeeded in playing the chords, leads, and bassline as the song’s pace would demand. “Youtube was and will always be my go-to place to learn” he likes to admit. 

Speaking of his own original compositions, he says the rhythm of his first original, “Ebb and Flow” was with him for years. To come up with something new that people would want to listen to is difficult indeed. But then, he says, music is just a way to express what you feel. “You cannot search for it, you somehow just feel it”. That was how it was with his first original. He knew what it was going to be, without knowing how to convert it into a song. It was only after three years after the realisation of the idea, that he was able to give it a shot. He recorded and released it, garnering some really good response. 

His second release, “Delira”, was a surprise to him. On a rough day, while listening to some music he was suddenly struck with a tune of his own. He started playing on it, improving and developing it, finally settling for a four-minute piece. It turned out good and offered not just a sense of satisfaction, but also became his go-to respite for bad days. That is what the goal of the music was for him– to make something peaceful. And he believes that as long as it offers that to somebody else, even if only one person, he would consider it a success. 

Of course, not everyone in Shravan’s life put faith in what he was doing, he goes on to say. The idea of just instrumentals earning an audience was not deemed plausible, and he would receive advice to add vocals and lyrics to the music. But he decided to stick to what he was doing and released his first composition. He accepts that while handling criticisms and failures sportingly is the best way to go, it has to be balanced with having confidence in yourself and your skillset. There’s always room to be better. And that can only happen when one keeps moving forward, working towards achieving it. That’s how Shravan sums up his perceptions about his creations as an artist. 

An interest develops as a hobby, which later makes you more passionate about it, until one day you realize that this is where you belong. That’s how Shravan expresses the acquisition of talent coupled with ambition, an experience true to his life. And so he says to young people like him figuring out their career and goals, making big and small life decisions, that figuring out your niche may be the hard first step. Once you have a clear mind of that, and skills to accompany it, there is only patience that you need. Go slow, take no shortcuts, and if you want to compare, only compare yourself to your past selves. That’s the advice he outlines as gained from his own experiences.

A sports enthusiast, Sharvan quotes MS Dhoni by the end, something that he likes to live by. “Never let success get to your head and never let failure get to your heart”, he remarks.

As much as the times are changing, the stigma surrounding Mental Health continues to exist in India. So to talk about Mental Health to spread awareness or to openly share one’s own struggles with it, are acts of bravery; as speaking and sharing about it can be exhausting, overwhelming and needs a lot of courage. With the omnipresence of social media, a lot are using it to start conversations around mental health and many other issues which our society seems to be leaving behind on purpose.

Artists are blessed with a voice like no others and many use it to speak about the unspoken. Musicians are using their music to bring light to some dark sides of the society. We bring you two such artists from the indie India scene who are not only making their own music, but also using their craft to talk about mental health and the issues surrounding it.

Sleeplessness is one of the by-products you face when dealing with poor mental health and Aswekeepsearching’s ‘sleep again’ is a beautiful remedy you need. The post-rock band that has been spreading positivity with their music since 2015; their latest album ‘Sleep’ has one of the prettiest sounds you will ever come across. The track ‘Sleep Again’ will put you to sleep – in a good way – and calm your insides. The ambient music is so soothing and feels like a hug received during the hardest of times. Listen to ‘sleep again’!

Doubting self-worth and wanting to escape – a lot of us might have found ourselves in such situations. Sabu, whose debut EP converses mental health, talks about the said emotions in the track ‘Sheets’. The lyrics go ‘I feel the weight upon my chest and soul, I know the time has come for me to go, to hide and rest behind my sheets’; they converse the emotions of feeling worthless and wanting to escape and hide from what we call ‘reality’. The track beautifully expresses some of the most vulnerable emotions and feelings a human could feel.

Sabu sends out the message to anyone having a hard time that they are not alone and a lot of us counter times like these. ‘Rest’ is more of a reminder to himself from Sabu. With the lyrics repeating, ‘I will rest’, it is actually a reminder to self that these times will end and I will be fine. The music video is really soothing and instantly provides a feeling of peaceful solitude within oneself. Both the tracks are what healing would be in form of music; check them out here!

When mellow strums and melodic voices couple to deliver beautiful music, you welcome it, naturally. It becomes the perfect background for any activity that leads to some sense of peace, be it a walk in solitude or a conversation with a friend. Music for most people has been the go-to solution for a few minutes of escapism from all the distresses of life. So we bring to you four serene covers of duly loved songs, for you to appreciate and enjoy in calm. Close your eyes, sit back, and immerse yourself in the lyrics and melodies. Maybe move a little, tap your feet or sing along, and surely end up feeling a little better with them. 

Sayantani Raha creates a medley of a Himachali Folk song ‘Chamba Kitni Duur’ and the song ‘Kuch Na Kaho’ and it is one of the prettiest things you’d get to hear. Both are love songs of utter beauty, with the folk song expressing the pain of separation of a woman who wants to go to her lover and is asking after the place where he lives. Her voice makes these soothing songs all the more lyrical, making it a lovely composition. 

Kavya Narayan renders Prateek Kuhad’s ‘Tune Kaha’ with her own easy charms that lull you into singing the song with her. This pleasing cover is a delight of sweet, fuzzy feeling, just like its original. 

Mansi Arora’s cover of ‘Tere Bin’ is sure to bring a smile to your face, with also probably a touch of nostalgia. This 2004 Rabbi Shergill classic has forever been a popular favorite, everybody has heard of it. Mansi renders it perfectly on her ukulele, giving it a fresh touch that you’d definitely want to play on loop. 

The idea of soulmates is such a compelling notion. Most of us want it to be real; it gives us hope. It’s almost delightful to believe that there is a person meant just for you in this whole wide world – your person. Somebody without whom your life is incomplete, someone who’ll be there no matter what. Someone you can share your fairy-tale romance with. Aasa Singh’s song, Zindagi Adhuri is precisely about this.

In fact, there exists a tale of soulmates in Greek Mythology. According to this story, humans were born with four arms, four legs and a head with two faces. But the gods feared the power of these androgynous creatures. So, Zeus decided to split them into two halves. The story ends with condemnation for humans to a life of searching for their missing halves. But once they find each other, their bond becomes unbreakable, something nothing short of magical!

Now, whether or not you believe in love and soulmates, you can’t deny that it’s an enthralling story. Zindagi Adhuri reminded me of this mythical tale. In fact, if you listen to the song closely, you’ll realize that it is dedicated to his other half. But that is not even the best part!

Aasa Singh’s melodic voice blended with Ayush Kapoor’s impeccable lyricism makes the track nothing short of an overload of wholesomeness. The background score with guitar and harmonizing vocals is the cherry on top! It all ties the song together to create an absolute masterpiece that will put a bright smile on your face!

It all starts with a dreamcatcher; does it end with one too? You can click the link below to find out! A spoiler – The video is absolutely adorable!

With his music, Pasi Harshit wants to bridge the distance that classical instruments and music have with the younger generation. And he does so by covering popular songs from the Western and Indian music industry, appealing to all kinds of audiences and winning hearts. Hailing from Lucknow, Harshit calls himself a fusion musician. He has covered various songs on Tabla and collaborated with many artists from the music industry. His unique approach towards creating his music has received acknowledgments from known musicians, including Ritviz, Karankanchan, Amit Mishra to name a few. Harshit has been involved with music for the most part of his life, both in leisure and profession. 

From Beginning to Now

Perhaps the most notable part about his story is how long Harshit has been connected to this artform. A self-taught musician, he was very young when he fell in love with music. Beating hand-drums and a congo that his parents got him, he very early realised the happiness that comes from the act of creating music and sounds. And ever since, he has channeled his energy towards it. 

Harshit began by making cover songs on Congo, Dholak, Tabla and posting them online. Soon people started contacting him for work. It was a small start, but very exciting nonetheless. He formed a band and started doing small gigs and concerts. It was when he made full use of the perks that social media has to offer, that he started gaining more recognition for his work. He began making more covers and posting them on Instagram and Youtube. Hopping on to trends became an unpredictable success when he covered Yashraj Mukhate’s musical edit on Tabla, which went viral and got more than 100k views. And so, watching so many people share and love his work, offered the perfect dose of happiness and motivation to him. 

Relationship with Music 

Even as he has stepped into the commercial race that all spaces are filled with, he hasn’t lost track of the true spirit that propels any creation forward. He uses words like enjoyment, pleasure, love, and joy to describe what he feels about playing and practicing compositions. He finds that it is his form of self-expression. 

“Focusing with your eyes, ears, hands, mind, and emotions leaves no room for other distractions or worry. In this, it is a form of meditation for me. I also get motivated by the strong connection I feel with my instruments. The very tactile interaction with the percussions and the vibrations of sound reach my soul. I feel blessed.” is how he describes his relationship with music. However, along with this individual experience, he also discloses the extrinsic motivation that comes with playing music with others. The demands that collaborations come with only push him to deliver better. That, he believes, is what makes the whole process more enjoyable and worthwhile. 

On Becoming a Musician 

He agrees that talent is innate and everyone has a unique set of potential to them. But speaking specifically on his professional craft, he differentiates between having skills and a sense of music. He says having a musical sense is pertinent to being or becoming a musician. It is often inborn but may be acquired through a lot of hard work and experience. You can practice and work on the accuracy and objectivity of your skills, but you’ll need the fundamental sense of music to truly master the craft. And so, to his fellow artists he says, practice seriously, and run after your passion. Aim at becoming one with the music you create.

“Don’t be afraid of dreaming the impossible.”

“I feel courage seeps in every aspect of being a musician. It flows through improvisation, composition, theory exams and performances.” is what Harshit had spoken about his career before. He had reflected on how every melody is theoretically already there, you just need to learn how to find it. And so, his advice to his fellow artists is to not be afraid as they grapple with finding and creating their melodies. To this, perhaps, is also owed the success and fulfillment of his own career. He has been able to find the right melodies and has fearlessly rendered them!