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I have a very efficient team that takes care of my time. But yes it is very tough to do so many things. I am not there yet. I am still learning. It is a pleasure to do so many things. The challenge is to be good at everything.
Amit Trivedi
In films, you have to follow the director's vision. Filmmaking is a director's medium. So everything happens as per the script and his vision.
But everything changed when I saw my son for the first time and today, I love my son, who is 18 months, the most in the world.
Yes, because as composers we are looking for textured voices, and often the singers we find are not trained to perform in a studio environment. So we need technology to doctor their voices to suit the format.
Lyrics is the face of any song. The combination of composition, lyrics and singing is what makes a song a song.
I'm getting to compose music for diverse language films from all over the country.
Once you connect to a film, things flow naturally. And there are times where you don't connect with a film. In these situations, you just have to see through it. We are professionals and just have to give our best at the given circumstances.
I don't have any background in the industry, nobody in my family or friends. So entering into the industry and dealing with the concept of being a Bollywood music composer was daunting initially.
The only place where any artist feels liberated is doing independent music. I have had great experience making music for The Dewarists and Coke Studio. No actor, producer or label is telling me what to do with my music. I'm the boss. It is my life, my expression.
It is so beautiful that when you watch the film, the marriage between the visuals, the music and the storytelling is seamless.
In the West, film music is completely different and independent from their popular music. The two industries are separate and don't interfere much.
After all, folk-fusion is my favourite genre.
Ultimately it's just music - whether I'm catering to the Bollywood audience or the indie audience. I just approach every type of music the way I am, and how my personality is.
Most films don't have a budget for a background score, but it is the toughest job to do. We work like donkeys. And usually we get only around a month to do a score.
When I get out of the studio, I want to disconnect from music. I would rather spend time with my family or watch a movie. I cannot take any more music.
I share different relationships with all directors. I share a beautiful working relationship with Anurag Kashyap. Sriram Raghavan is such an inspiration and I have always wanted to work with them. I gel really well with filmmakers like these.
I see a parallel industry for independent music blooming alongside film music.
I sign up whatever live shows I get simply because every gig is a chance to reach out directly to the audience. When it comes to gigs, I try mixing personal picks with what the audience demands.
Ever since I started, I think Bollywood has gone through a lot of changes. Film producers now want to experiment with their movie's music and that's why you see many of them working with independent musicians.
I am proud to say I'm a director's composer. People do method acting, I do method composing. I like to get into the skin of the character and go deep into the director's vision.
If the script doesn't excite me, there's no point working on the music.
You have to adapt yourself to the changing times. There is no other way. You must keep up with what's happening around you. You afford to be complacent on that front at all. Otherwise you won't be relevant.
To play on top of a bus is something we've never done before - we did play on the Red Bull Tour Bus once in Bangalore last year, but it's always a one of a kind of experience to jump on the bus and sing.
In the 1990s music was a beautiful collaborative process between the composer, lyricist and director. They would exchange ideas and magic used to happen.
When I am composing in a studio, I cannot gauge what the audience feels. Sometimes, good songs don't get the recognition because the films fail. But when you are performing live, the reaction is immediate.
I love listening a lot and I listen to all sorts of songs, old and new. But the real inspiration has to come from within.
My mom and sisters liked to sing and we would jam at home very often. I would also jam a lot in college, where I formed a fusion band and played the keyboards.
Bollywood is such a space where you get to work with so many genres. Genres being pushed isn't the way of looking at it. In fact, I think Indie needs to be given a lot more focus or recognition.
I have to be excited by a particular voice to consider it for a song. I am open to new voices. If I come across one that I like instinctively, then I would like to work with that singer.
The pressure is only from the producers and the labels. No composer, no singer would ever want to sing a remix.
My schedule usually keeps me busy. However, I love performing on stage and I try my best to take time out for live performances.
I go deep into the script and speak the language of the film, musically.
For creators, especially for me as a composer, I am sure for singers also, it is sad. It is not exciting that we have to create something that someone else has already done before.
The reason I went ahead with making the music for 'Bombay Velvet' was because I loved the script.
I am thankful to all my fans and supporters out there for the overwhelming love and support. I just hope I continue to make music that is loved by everyone.
Whosoever has money has power. It's not about a label. If you have money tomorrow, you will be powerful.
Whenever I come to Ahmedabad, I feel as if I am at home. Amdavadis make the best audience and that inspires me to make beautiful music.
I have been a total brat since my childhood. Because of me, my mother's day was over by afternoon as just managing me, she was exhausted.
I have been a huge, huge fan of music ever since I was a kid. Anything to do with music inspires me.
There are almost no takers for independent musicians in India.
I love everything about Delhi, mostly the fact that people here never fail to react to music.
I have seen both extremes; when there was no work, I was frustrated and now that I'm overworked, I feel the same. I'm looking for a balance now.
I play the keyboard, but I am fond of all wind instruments, the oboe in particular.
I am always in my space and it's a happy space. It gets stressful at times, but that's a part and parcel of our job.
I was listening to radio and it plays only Bollywood. This is something I hate about radio stations. There's so much other beautiful music out there.
The amount of exposure you get in India as a musician in Bollywood is so much better than what one gets independently.
Sometimes, I record rough patches of tunes and take them to directors. They choose to retain my voice. Personally, I don't like my voice, and never want to record.
My mother sang. But back in the day, it was looked down upon if the lady of the house wanted to sing in public. So, she couldn't pursue her musical aspirations.
I am working on 'Bombay Velvet'. The music for it is jazz from the '60s.
Live performances are exhilarating, especially when performing for a young crowd.
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