Hey WARDEN! So excited to be chatting with you! You just released your new single “Fire”! How excited were you to get this single out into the world?
Hey TMI! I’m really happy to do this interview with you, thanks for having me! Yes ‘Fire’ is the second single I’ve released in the space of 2 months & I’m super excited about it! It’s a very upbeat, energetic & motivational song with some nice edgy guitars & a big vocal hook. I’ve got some good feedback for the song so far, I can’t wait for more people to listen to it!
Can you tell us the backstory of this song? Is it from a real experience?
Honestly, this song is me just reminiscing what younger days used to be like with not-so-many responsibilities, when we all just used to more or less do what we wanted to do, when & how we wanted to! That’s basically what the song is about – looking back!
You also have more projects coming out in 2021!! Can you spill any details on what your supporters can look forward to from you next year?!?
So before 2021, I have a new song releasing in the second week of December (as things stand, it will be on the 11th of December). That will be the third single which kind of completes the first EP of mine. This song is titled ‘What If’ & is very different from both the songs I’ve released so far. It’s a sappy song about love & heartbreak. I’m really looking forward to it because I feel a lot of people will be able to relate to it.
What do you hope your supporters will think of all the new songs?
Honestly, I hope they like them & I hope they’re excited to hear more & learn more about me. I’m based in Mumbai, India & have recorded this entire first EP with a producer & musicians based in Toronto, Canada (whilst I sit in my home in Mumbai, & watch them in real-time via video). So the West is really a market that I want to explore & try and break into because I do believe that the music I’m creating could potentially work well amongst the people there. So fingers crossed!
Do you have a creative say in your music? Did you help write all your new songs?
Oh yes, absolutely! So I’ve written all the songs just with my acoustic guitar & recorded basic demos of them. Following that, I send it to my producer Benjamin Pelchat who’s based in Toronto to work on each song from an arrangement point of view, structure, composition, lyrics, melody, instrumentation, etc. Basically an overall collaborative process with him. And once we’re happy with all the above elements, we record it all. So it’s a very interesting process honestly, because all the songs are written by me & most are based on my own thoughts & experiences, not just anything random.
What’s it feel like to be releasing your own original music?
It feels good! It feels great actually! I have released some original songs with my band called “ONEmpire” which is also based in Mumbai, India. But this solo project is something I’ve been contemplating for a very long time & I’m glad I finally got down to working on it during this entire lockdown period!
Will there be a music video for your new single? If so, can you tell us about the concept of the video
This is something I’m still a little unsure about. So I released my first single titled ‘What’s going on?’ in September & released a music video with it as well. I would ideally like to have a video for this one too but it’s something I’m still trying to figure out in my head so I guess a little time will tell!
What’s been the pros and cons of pursuing your music career?
The good part about taking on music as a career is that it allows you to do what you’re super passionate about & truly love! And trust me I’m super passionate about it & truly love it! The “cons” so to speak are that it’s extremely competitive & difficult & most artists spend most of their lives trying to break through but never do. It’s a very erratic & hard career to take on, and honestly very easy to give up at times, but if you can find that drive inside you, it keeps you going. Also, living in India, trying to create original English Pop-Rock music is a task because there’s really not much support over here. Bollywood plays a big part in India & that makes something like this even harder. Having said that, IF I do succeed, I suppose it will feel that much better!
Is there anyone you want to thank that’s helped you get to where you are today?
Of course! All of that thanks goes to my entire family that has supported me since this was just an ambitious dream many years ago. They’ve allowed me to pursue it & have pushed me to work hard at it & do everything I need to do to make it a success. I have a few very close friends too who have always had my back & supported me even when times are tough. Sometimes as an artist, no matter how much you might believe in yourself, it always helps to hear something positive from the people around you who also believe in you!
How would you describe your fans? – what’s three words you would use to describe your fans?
Energetic, loyal & supportive! And I feel those are the three most ideal words for fans in general! There are a lot of people who have followed me and my overall progress with the band and as a solo artist for many years now. They’ve seen me evolve & grow! And they keep coming back! For me it’s very simple – it’s ALWAYS about the fans. You’ve got to give them a reason to keep coming back. As an artist, if you start doing too many things for yourself without keeping your fans in mind, they’re going to lose interest. And if your fans lose interest, they stop coming for your shows, streaming your music & supporting you. And hey, if they stop supporting you, you’re out of a job.
What do you want your message to be towards your fans? What do you want your fans to take away from your music and shows?
They’ve always supported the band & me over the years & now I’d love to see the same support & love from them for my solo project too. I’m working extremely hard, hustling even harder, & I want them to be able to connect to the music I’m creating & want more! So here’s to giving ‘WARDEN’ a chance!
What’s something your fans don’t know about you?
A lot of people always believe that because I’m a musician & performer, my life revolves around partying & going out & leading a very social life. The truth is, my life is the complete opposite! When I’m not performing or travelling for work or recording, I’m a total homebody. I’m a total family person. I love doing nothing. A BIG night out for me is going to my local bar around the corner, having a couple of drinks and being home by 1 a.m. at the latest!
What do your fans call themselves? And How did that fanbase name catch on?
Well it’s a bit too early for that but if I had to choose something, and if I’m being a little quirky, since my artist name is ‘WARDEN’, I feel a cool name for the fans could be ‘The In-Mates’?! Hahaha… I don’t know how that would go down!
What do you want your fans to know if they ever see you in public?
That I’m approachable & forever grateful to every single fan out there that chooses to support me & I hope I get to meet a lot of you at a show very soon!
Is there anyone in the music business you are dying to meet?
YES!!! From an artist perspective I’m a HUGE James Bay fan so I’d love to meet him one day! Oh, and Alicia Keys! Definitely have a crush on her!! From a “business” perspective, I’d love to meet a person like Simon Cowell & LA Reid. I think they’re super intelligent & in their own individual ways have played a part in transforming much of the music industry over the past few years!
What’s your current go-to song?
There’s a beautiful song by James Bay called ‘Scars’ which I’m a big fan of. I also think ‘Falling’ by Harry Styles is a fantastic new song!
What would you say is your biggest dream/goal right now?
Honestly I’ve always said that my biggest dream & goal is to perform in front of 100,000 people at Wembley or Madison Square Garden one day!
Any last things you want to tell your supporters?
I’ve got two singles out – The first one is titled ‘What’s going on?’ & the most recent one is titled ‘Fire’. Give them a listen & please follow & write in to me if you like them! I have a lot more in the pipeline & would love your support!
