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Following making waves in the international music scene, songwriter-producer-pianist Somanshu released Bewajah on January 27 in collaboration with Neeti Mohan. Bewajah is a tale of passion and heartbreak that Somanshu narrates through his distinctive yet melancholy musical composition. The track has a nostalgic feel and an optimal blend of healing vocals meant to appeal to a particular audience. The song from Somanshu is not your conventional gloomy track; instead, the track conveys a message of hope that can inspire listeners each time they listen to it.
Somanshu shared with us the overall behind-the-scenes of his new track Bewajah. He also talked about his major inspirations and his career trajectory. Somanshu is renowned for his work with top and legendary artists including Pritam Da, Arijit Singh and GenZ artists – Lost Stories and Zaedan. The self-taught songwriter-producer-pianist has worked in the industry for many years.
Somanshu first started playing the piano at the age of 15. The artist eventually discovered that music was his purpose, which inspired him to pursue it as a career and put in consistent effort at every chance along the road. Somanshu's big break came in 2022 when he launched his YouTube channel, which featured covers of well-known English, EDM, and Bollywood songs. Somanshu has also received support from Arijit Singh, Amaal Mallik, Sachin-Jigar, Sharib-Toshi, KSHMR, Gareth Emery, and Alan Walker. In 2017, Somanshu tried his hand at music production as well.
Somanshu is currently touring with Arijit Singh. By incorporating the appropriate sounds and melodies into his work, Somanshu hopes to transform the Indian pop industry and bridge the international gap. Kumari Khushboo of SK Pop spoke with Somanshu and learned about his new track's creative process, delved into the artist's mental health, and explored his diverse range of artistry.
“As long as your goals are in the right place nothing else matters”: Somanshu opens up on artist’s mental health, his new music and more
Q) First of all, congratulations on your latest release Bewajah in collaboration with Neeti Mohan. Could you please introduce yourself to our Sportskeeda SK POP readers?
Hey, my name is Somanshu. I’m a singer/writer/music producer. I come from a small town in Uttarakhand called Bhowali. Didn’t have a lot of resources and YouTube has been my primary source of learning.
Also, I’ve been an avid reader of Sportskeeda and I feel so happy to be a part of it now.
Q) Your latest track Bewajah with Neeti Mohan has an extremely nostalgic feel to it. Bewajah's storyline and melody convey the melancholy and uplifting message that love can be incredibly painful, yet it can also turn out well. Could you share more about the storyline and how you came up with the song that gives the perfect interpretation to it?
Bewajah’s story is a real one, it talks about what I was going through mid-pandemic, and completing the song has been a very vulnerable process because I had to be so honest while writing and making it.
Q) Your work has always given the feel of experimenting with different genres. As an artist, could you share if there is a particular musician who inspires you a lot?
I listen to everything and take inspiration from everywhere, but on the top of my head my major influences have been Zedd, Charlie Puth, Arijit Singh and A.R. Rahman.
Q) One of my favorite lines from Bewajah is "Hai Khone ko aur kya, jab tu hi na raha". Bewajah's lyrics represent love and its melancholy in the truest form. You have written such beautiful lyrics with Harjaspreet Singh and Murtuza Gadiwala. Given the song's profound significance, it must have taken a lot of thought for you to create a melody of this calibre. With such depth in the track, how do you feel when you have to put your vulnerable side in your music? Do you think that this is also one of the factors that you would be proud of when you share your art with your fans?
Thank you so much, that’s my favorite line from the song as well. I feel the listeners are very intelligent and we as artists should never take them for granted. They can easily distinguish between songs that are ‘manufactured’ and those that are ‘honest’. I always want to be honest with my writing and yes that involves being vulnerable in the songs but that’s how you can reach the heart of the audience.
Q) When did you feel that Bewajah was the song that you would like to share with your fans? How did you feel at that moment?
It took me some time to finally reach a point where I thought Bewajah was ready to release. I started making the song during the pandemic and have made countless versions of the song. It was only when I heard Neeti singing on the song I realized that yes it’s ready to release.
Q) I like the fact that Bewajah's storyline is not just about break ups but it gives a ray of hope to the audience while still going through life. The official video shows feelings of the memories left behind while still believing what could have been done or vice versa. Bewajah's storyline's conclusion, in my opinion, may be left open-ended. Do you agree that the audience's interpretation should be left up to them?
Yes, I totally believe in the open-ended climax we had given in the video. I feel in life nothing is just plain black and white and most of it revolves around a 'grey area', so that was what we wanted to portray with the song as well.
Q) You have shared your music production of the smash hit track Shayad by Arijit Singh from Love Aaj Kal on your YouTube channel. While the audience enjoys the song you produced Shayad, witnessing the textures and audio effects that go into making such a great track was a wonderful experience for many individuals and was also very beneficial for those learning about music production. This was a truly admirable initiative because it assisted a lot of up-and-coming artists who wanted to make music production as a career. But If you have been given an opportunity to interpret Shayad as a piece of music. What would it be?
That’s a very good question, I actually play Shayad in my live sets but it’s very ‘stripped’. I just do a raw version of it with vocals and a piano and somehow people always react to it the most in my set.
Q) Your career so far has been a representation of numerous genres including EDM, Indian pop, and Bollywood. How do you think it helped you to shape as an artist?
I’m blessed to have been lucky enough to be a part of larger-than-life projects like Bhramastra. All of that has been immensely helpful, it has shaped me as an artist and helped me be versatile.
Q) Your work has always been getting praised by fans because of how you deliver their emotions in your way. I believe this is one of the hardest parts of making music because only a few artists can truly connect with their audience. How do you feel when you have the power to vocalize the emotions of your listeners through your art?
As I mentioned earlier, I really like to be honest with my music. I don’t feel I have the power to vocalize listeners with every song as each song is a trial. It might work and might not.
Q) Your work has been transcending the global divide, even receiving support from artists like Alan Walker. What is your perception about Indian music getting global and how do you feel when you represent India in the global music industry?
The Indian music scene has grown leaps & bounds globally in the last 5 years, and there have been so many collaborations happening between Indian and international artists on a regular basis now. Just being a part of this scene is an honor in itself for me.
Q) You started playing piano at the age of 15. There are many artists out there who started at a very young age. What words of wisdom do you have for budding musicians who want to launch their careers when they're still young? Do you think that age could be a factor in influencing one's career as a music artist?
I definitely believe that your learning curve at a younger age is higher, but that doesn’t mean that there’s an age bracket to music. Consistency while learning matters a lot. As long as your goals are in the right place, nothing else matters.
Q) When artists share their music with the world, most have a particular audience in mind while they are songwriting or producing it. Do you also have a particular audience when you share your work?
I used to think about the audience a lot while making music, but quite recently I’ve been just focusing on making the music that I enjoy listening to. As mentioned earlier, I feel the audience can easily sense honesty while hearing music so if the music comes from a genuine place they can easily relate to it.
Q) There are times in an artist's life when they go through rough paths and being discovered seems like one of the hardest parts of their career. Still, the artists who go through these hardest times have also been helping people overcome mental health issues through their music. How do you feel music helps you overcome mental health issues? Any advice for the music artists on dealing with their mental health problems and how they can work it out?
Music has a powerful ability to bring people out of difficult emotional states. It can be used as an emotional outlet, a way to express your feelings and experiences, and a form of self-care. Listening to music can help you relax and escape from the stressful reality of life. It can also help to create an optimistic attitude, which can help to improve your mental health.
As for advice for music artists dealing with mental health problems, I would suggest setting boundaries and taking time for yourself. Make sure to prioritize self-care and be mindful of how much you are taking on. Also, reach out to supportive friends and family and seek professional help if needed.
Q) Every artist has a different meaning of successful music. What is your definition of successful music?
For me, getting to do music for a living is a success in itself.
Q) Could you share about your upcoming projects or what's in there for your fans to explore?
All I can say is I have a song coming out this year with my musical hero and idol so I’m super hyped and happy about it.
Q) Thank you for sharing your thoughts with our Sportskeeda SK POP readers. Any message for your fans?
Everyone who’s following my work just knows that I love you haha and I don’t take your support for granted. We’re just getting started and there’s so much to do and explore.
Stay tuned for more exclusive coverage and interviews with artists like Somanshu.
