“Billie Eilish not knowing Van Halen is like me not knowing Kishore Kumar!”

We (Euphoria) recently did a virtual tribute jam to Eddie Van Halen, who has been crucial in shaping my attitude towards music. When he passed away on October 6, we decided to celebrate what he’s done for musicians. Whether you’re a doctor or artist, you should look at all aspects of the art you’re following – Eddie taught me that.

But millennials aren’t really listening to music. They’re just going by what’s being marketed to them. Billie Eilish, a millennial who’s a multiple Grammy Awardwinning star, said she doesn’t know who Van Halen is! It’s like me being a musician in India and not knowing who Kishore Kumar is. A musician should know the person who did the groundwork so we could create the music we do today.

In the 2000s, the music industry became more about marketing than music. So today, you’re bombarded with song recommendations on apps.

In India, we need to differentiate between what Bollywood wants us to believe is indie music and actual independent music. Musicians must realise if what they have created is good, then the numbers on social media don’t really matter.

But thank God for the Internet – it plays a key role in giving us access to folk and indie music that’s actually ‘independent’.

Palash Sen is a singer, musician and actor best known as frontman of indie pop/rock band Euphoria.

“WE NEED TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN WHAT BOLLYWOOD WANTS US TO BELIEVE IS INDIE MUSIC AND ACTUAL INDEPENDENT MUSIC”

—PALASH SEN

“THE IDEA OF OLD IS GOLD IS MERELY A SELFAGGRANDISING MAXIM OF STAGNATED MINDS” —ADITYAN NAIR