Kanoo Sahajwala is an emerging artist who was previously an engineer and an MBA. She is a tabla player and percussionist whose journey into composing and producing began with a desire to set her father’s poetry into music. After quitting her corporate career last year, she decided to devote her time to storytelling through music.
Sahajwala’s latest release is a song that’s rooted in Hindustani classical tradition but has a unique modern pop flair to it- ‘Sach Tere Andar’, a song that thrives on the illustrious spells of Raag Bhairavi and lyrics that are both celebratory and deeply contemplative. Blending the rich Indian percussion with layered synth textures and acoustic bass, the song takes you on a meditative journey.
We recently interviewed the artist on the release of this song, here’s what she said-
1. Your upcoming track ‘Sach Tere Andar’ is a beautiful indie western classic that blends the indian classical motifs seamlessly with modern contemporary musical elements. Tell us about the journey of curating something like this.
Response:
I have been trying to make music across different genres, touching subjects that are close to people’s lives and hearts. I wanted to make a spiritual track that is relevant to everyone irrespective of their faith.
This is also reflective of the personal journey I have gone through. I went around the globe for my job, travelled, read, and explored different experiences, but still did not feel at peace and joyful. Fortunately I learnt about Vipassana, and attended 2 camps in the last 4 years. That has been a blessing for me. It gave me a very different perspective about life. I realized that the key message of Vipassana is not unique to it, Bhagwad Gita, other religions, and even psychologists talk about similar principles.
The song is not to encourage people to follow any particular faith or mindset, or even meditate. The song is an attempt to convey that while external circumstances may affect us, the source of lasting peace and contentment lies within us.
This is an ancient truth that has been expressed in different ways for centuries. The song is my attempt to remind people of it.
From a music perspective, the idea behind using contemporary musical elements was definitely based on my taste, but was also to create a sound that could resonate with younger listeners as well as people across generations.
2. How do you aim to utilise the art of music to the benefit of your listeners? Do you think that music has some special purpose?
Response:
Oh yes! Music certainly has a special purpose. Language is one of the most powerful ways humans communicate, and music is a unique form of language. It can create a beautiful resonance within us, or even a dissonance that challenges the way we think and feel.
My music is mostly reflective of my own journey and my own thoughts about life. And I hope it resonates with listeners and it stays with them for a long time, in terms of its musicality as well as the lyrics.
In an increasingly polarized and an extremely fast-paced world with diminishing attention spans and expanding aspirations, I am hoping this song Sach Tere Andar helps people look beyond their differences in terms of faith, and to pause and look within. The song is releasing at a festive time in India, on Nov 6th. I am hoping that we will get closer to ourselves and to each other.
Another song I am working on is called Tu Hai Sifar, inspired by Carl Sagan’s “Pale Blue dot” analogy and talking about our impact on the environment.
3. Tell us about how you gather inspiration for your music projects. What does your creative process look like?
Response:
The inspiration behind making music was to bring my late father’s poetry to life with music. I inherited a large collection of my father’s poetry. I started with his ghazal Jagmagaate Sheher – which spoke about the paradoxes surrounding our cities.
In the process, I started writing songs as well. Since then I have been creating music around what goes on in my mind, and what I observe – Teri Yaad was a song about a relationship during a tough phase in my life, Ghar Ka Pataa was about the mindless wandering to look for home, then I made an instrumental album called The Mind’s Journey that was an exploration of emotions and states of mind. And now Sach Tere Andar is a sort of culmination of that process
I would say my creative process is evolving. On most occasions, I write before I compose or I compose as I am writing. Fortunately I have also been learning Hindustani classical music. That has helped me a lot in my compositions. Sach Tere Andar is a song based on Raag Bhairavi. And the next song Tu Hai Sifar is composed around Raag Bhairav.
And my soundscape is an amalgamation of the music I have grown up listening to, and the contemporary music from artists across genres. But I would say, we are fortunate to have grown in the era of so many different soundscapes around us in India and the West. The depth of Jagjit Singh’s ghazals, AR Rehman’s art of blending Indian music with contemporary arrangements, and Irshad Kamil’s meaningful lyrics happen to be a few of my biggest inspirations and driving forces.
4. What is the idea behind your music project, how did you create your sound?
Response:
I think the first choice was about the song’s Raag. Raag Bhairavi is a beautiful, melodious and peaceful Raag. It is usually sung in the early morning hours, and often the raag that musical concerts end with. I think as I was writing the lyrics, it naturally flowed in the direction of Bhairavi.
I had initially programmed the sitar piece for this song, but I realized it needed a human touch for the natural flow that Hindustani music needs. I then worked with Aditya Deshpande, who has added a brilliant touch to make the song much more soulful.
I have been a tabla player and percussionist myself, so I decided to program drums and Tabla. I went through several different iterations here, because I wanted percussions to provide structure without overpowering the other elements.
I think bass plays a very important role in defining the texture of the song. I used different kinds of bass in different parts of the song. You will hear an upright bass in some parts, and different synth basses to cover the sub, upper and mid-bass.
The vocal harmonies in the chorus create an almost trance-like vibe.
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5. If someone is listening to your music for the first time, what would you tell them? Give them a little introduction.
Response:
I hope my music touches people in some way. I explore different genres, from ghazals, pop and spiritual music to rock, metal and hip-hop. My songs explore different dimensions of our experiences, including relationships, belonging, the world around us and our environment. I’d be delighted to hear how listeners connect with the music and what it means to them.
About me, I spent almost 20 years in the Corporate world. I lived in the US for over 6 years. And then last year, I decided to leave the corporate world, return to India and focus on Music, Meditation and Sustainability – what I call my own MMS agenda. Music is food for my heart, Sustainability is a responsibility for all of us, and meditation helps me stay grounded and focused.
6. If there could be one thing you can share with your listeners about your art or yourself, what would that be?
Lafz mere sahi par sunna, shayad main tumhaare hi dil ki awaaz hoon
I hope that, in some way, my songs give voice to emotions and thoughts that listeners have felt themselves.
Listen to the song right here:
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I hoard up thoughts, pieces, and souvenirs, which you could only have a glance of through my words...
