Music director duo Salim-Sulaiman with their recent song Yeh mera India seek to spread awareness about the rich bio-diversity of India and the need to preserve it. Rare species such as the lion-tailed macaque, mahseer fish, Malabar pit vipers and gharials have been featured in the video against the backdrop of beautiful Indian terrains.
Anthem composer Salim Merchant says, “There is no better way than the power of music to celebrate the importance of animals in our lives. The video showcases the scenic beauty of India taking the viewers right from the Himalayas to the wetlands of Odisha, the Sahyadari ranges on Western Ghats to the Bandhavgarh forests in Madhya Pradesh.” He adds, “We are doing our share to preserve the rich natural heritage of our country. We want to draw the attention of the citizens towards unjust practices prevalent in our society and encourage them to curb it by all means.”
Music with meaningful lyrics is aiming to win the hearts of the audience. From touching upon socially relevant issues like child sexual abuse, consumerism to human rights violations and the alarming issue of drug abuse among youngsters, musicians are widely focussing on issues pertaining to the common man. We check with veterans and budding singers about penning such meaningful lyrics.
Through his recently launched album, The Journey, young rapper Borkung Hrangkhawl aka BK has reached out to the audience with a social message. “One of my songs talks about how tribal people are being ill-treated and deprived of employment opportunities by the rich and powerful class in Tripura. There is another song titled Power aimed at the rising issue of drug abuse among youngsters. Similarly, Peace talks about racism, discrimination and hatred that people from Northeastern region face in cosmopolitan cities like Delhi,” shares the rapper.
Through their second album Topiwalleh, folk-rock band Swarathma presents a powerful musical commentary on social issues. “The album has around ten tracks that revolve around the issues a commoner faces in his life. We have moved beyond anti-corruption movement and have talked about the present political scenario and the frustration around it. WGhum talks of child sexual abuse and Khu Ra Ne is a commentary on consumerism. Another track Rishton ka Rasta talks of how to overcome personal setbacks,” elaborates Vasu Dixit, lead vocalist and guitarist for Swarathma.
Combining elements of 60’s rock, revivalist folk, Indian classical, folk and opera to create the voice of urban India, city-based band Avi & The Uprising uses song writing as the central force to promote awareness. “We mobilise marginalised voices in music like street entertainers and tribal communities from across the world. Intimate tales of telepathy, reincarnation and faith find equal footage in our songs along with themes like political idealism and climate change as well as topical themes in urban India like the repressive educational system, rampant corruption and homicide. For instance, our song titled Who is a neo- renaissance anthem which urges prompt socio-political action. It’s a wake up call for the Facebook generation,” shares Avijit Mishra of Avi & the Uprising band.
Ashish Bhatt, composer and rhythm guitarist of Delhi-based band Panchtarni, concludes, “Musicians are no social reformers but we are free individuals who have the power to connect to the masses and give voice to our opinion. We like revolving our lyrics around today’s youth and their intricate world.”