Lockdown helped revisit why we began creating music, says Jubin
Singer Jubin Nautiyal, just like every other musician in the country, had to call off his concerts and other projects due to the lockdown. But he feels being a responsible citizen is more important than financial losses. He says, “As a musician, I’m not only responsible for the music I put out, but also for my actions and what I say in public. Yes, we cancelled a number of shows and we took a bit hit because of that. But I couldn’t be doing a concert knowing that people could get infected.”
Nautiyal used this time at hand to be with family, improve his electric guitar skills and become a better musician, with more focus on non-film music. “I believe this period helped many, not just me, get back to the reason of why they started creating music in the first place,” he opines, adding that listenership has now increased as people are less dependent on consuming music through videos. “Since there are no videos being shot for now, only audio files of songs are being released. Audiences, especially in our country who were heavily dependent on visuals, started consuming music in an audio format...In that sense, the listening culture changed, and that’s why independent music has sort of grown more during this period,” he says.
The singer, 30, who recently released a single, feels independent music gives artistes a chance to narrate their personal journeys. “It’s very important for a musician to be known, not just for his voice or for a sound that they create. A musician has their own journey that they narrate through their music, and independent space gives you that chance. And with film music taking a back seat, independent music will flourish even more now, because that’s the space where I believe the magic happens,” he signs off.