INDIA IS SUCH A VIBRANT PLACE: ONE REPUBLIC

The popular pop rock band is all set to regale the country with their debut performance in Mumbai on April 21

American pop rock band One Republic are visibly psyched about their first ever performance in India. The band comprises lead vocalist Ryan Tedder, lead guitarist Zach Filkins, guitarist Drew Brown, bassist and cellist Brent Kutzle, and drummer Eddie Fisher, and the group is well known in India for hits such as If I lose myself tonight, Counting stars, and Good life. The band landed in Mumbai yesterday, and it seems they’re looking forward to exploring the city and its sights and sounds before their performance at the NSCI Dome in Worli on April 21. “We hope to learn about the culture of this place. India seems like such a beautiful, vibrant place with such wonderful people,” says Tedder.

Apparently, the set list for the concert has been curated by the band to suit the tastes of their fans in Mumbai. “We’ve put out four albums over the last decade and have carefully picked a set that we think will inspire and engage the audience. We have a few surprises up our sleeve as well. I bet the audience here will have a lot of energy,” says Kutzle.

When we asked them what they expect from the Indian audience, Filkins says that they hope people here can connect with their music. “Music is universal, I hope everyone finds personal meaning in all of our songs,” he adds.

One Republic’s single ‘Apologize’, from their first album Dreaming Out Loud, earned the band a Grammy nomination, and since then, a lot of their songs have been chartbusters and have often featured on the Billboard Top 100. But how does the band deal with it when their songs don’t do well? Kutzle says, “We never intend on necessarily charting with every song we put out. We simply do what we’re loving at the time and hope that people connect with it the way we do. We would drive ourselves mad if we analysed every detail about why a song is not climbing the charts,” says Kutzle.

Tedder says that the band draws inspiration from travel, experiences, family and love. Ask them about what they’re currently working on and if there is another album in the making, the band stays mum, signing off by just saying, “Album 5!”

(From left) Eddie Fisher, Zach Filkins, Brent Kurtzle, Ryan Tedder and Drew Brown