‘Indian artists have realised the potential of collaboration’
Music composer-singer Arko Pravo Mukherjee is a big supporter of collaborations. The 34-yearold has made music with Mumbai-based singersongwriter Bishwadeb Bhaumik for the 2011 album Mira and also worked with Bollywood music composers Sajid-Wajid and singersongwriter Ankit Tiwari. Arko feels Indian musicians have been “pretty late” in realising the potentials of collaborations.
“It (collaboration) has been going on in the West for 20 years. It’s not new, but our musicians here have only realised its potential and significance now. Collaborations between musicians from varied backgrounds and styles of music is the future and I love collaborations,” says Arko, who has composed for Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017) and Hate Story 2 (2014).
“If a Kanye West collaborates with Paul McCartney, just imagine the kind of listener base the song gets. I think you will have probably every music listener, listening to that song, and as a musician, you want more and more people to hear your music. The styles of a particular musician also receives reaction from people, outside his fanbase. When you are collaborating, you only grow and evolve,” says the singer, who will make an announcement regarding his next project with English pop rock group, The Kooks. “Apart from a few projects here [in India], which I won’t be able to talk about right now, I’m also going to collaborate with the Kooks, and we are planning to release a single, sometime in July.