Music helped me during my struggle with depression

Shashaa Tirupati is what her songs are — real and passionate. The singercomposer, who is presently working on independent songs, says that her music is mostly inspired from her romantic relationships. It might “sound weird” but every time she is in a relationship or when things go wrong, she pens a song. Her latest tracks, String of Air, Oceans Rained, Beparwahi and Hum Kahaan Hain, are all inspired from her personal life.

“During all these phases I feel the urge to pen down my emotions. I can’t talk to my parents as they would get tensed, take the next flight to India (from Canada). I don’t want to bother my friends, too. But dealing with those emotions are difficult. It keeps bothering me and I need to channel it,” says Shashaa, recalling how one of her early relationships had broken her down so much that she vented out her grief and anger through her songs.

And, it has only been music that, in some way or the other, has always rescued her. “I was in an abusive relationship for seven years… whenever I would get hit; I would mentally go back to my comfort place in Canada, the fire place in my house where I enjoyed my childhood with family, sipping on hot chocolate. But that too, after a point, didn’t help, but music never failed me. It gave me hope… It also helped me during my struggles with depression,” adds Shashaa.

Content with the response all her four songs received, the songwriter is working on six more tracks. But, she is quick to share that she wasn’t sure how people would react to her songs and is grateful that everyone, including the industry, has been kind to her. “That I’m being accepted as a writer for Hindi songs has made me happier. There was a sense of apprehension, the reason why even after writing and composing for Beparwahi, I requested Vayu to write the song because he is known for his lyrics. Now, I’m working on six songs. There’s one with Papon, another with Harshdeep [Kaur], a third with Vishal Dadlani and a fourth one with Chinmayi [Sripaada]. These are Hindi and Punjabi songs that I have composed. I’ve written some of them. Planning to release one in December,” says Shashaa, who is also collaborating with AR Rahman for a film.

Music never failed me. It gave me hope…

SHASHAA TIRUPATI SONGWRITER