Zarir picks and chooses

The musician finds favour

Musicians you want to collaborate with…

Anoushka Shankar and

Savan Kotecha, an Indian pop songwriter based out of the US.

Bands you listen to…

Bon Jovi, Backstreet Boys (whom I flew to watch live in concert in Las Vegas), Keane; Indus Creed, Parikrama and Thaikkudam Bridge. Among solo projects, Prateek Kuhad.

Your favourite cover to perform…

Somebody to Love by Queen.

And one cover that’s better than the original…

James Bay’s version of Tina Turner’s Simply The Best, which he plays at his concerts too; Ed Sheeran’s version of Bee Gees’ Massachusetts, his tribute to the band. stage and singing a Queen song, I can’t screw it up or I will get something thrown at me! If I screw up in my own song, people may not even notice the mistake,” he laughs.

Of course, there’s a stereotype that applies to people who do covers, but that’s because of the many who play three chord songs just as they are, without thinking about it. “There are no shortcuts. You have to make each song your own. Why would people come for my “show if it was just a copy of the original? I’m not trying to be Freddie Mercury but doing it our own way,” Zarir adds. Though he finds that people still look down on cover bands and say things to the band’s face! “But thing is, I do covers that make people come back month after month. Today, musicians who had looked down on covers are releasing some themselves,” says the self-confessed social media recluse.

What’s next? Five new songs in 2021, including a cheesy one he released just before Valentines’ Day. “I’m a sucker for cheesy songs and, of course, a Backstreet Boys fan,” he signs off.

karishma.kuenzang@hindustantimes.com Follow @Kkuenzang on Twitter and Instagram