CHENNAI: Here’s your chance to watch Chennai’s only loop artist seamlessly mix vocals with guitars, midi keyboards, drum triggers and more — all live during his performance. The one-of-a-kind show by Troydon Netto Aka Troy will be a solo tribute to Ed Sheeran. Ahead of the show, CE caught up with the artiste who will be looping 18-19 of Ed Sheeran’s songs for the audience.
“Three years ago, when I attended an Ed Sheeran concert in Mumbai, my life changed,” he said. “I was fascinated by how he created the tracks live and that’s when I thought I should take his formula and add to it. Soon, I quit my day job as a graphic designer and took up music professionally. I invested in a looper station, guitar, midi keyboard and more. As a multi-instrumentalist, I am the ‘Jack of all trades and the master of none’. So, I decided that instead of focusing on one instrument, I should focus on all.”
Troydon has been musically inclined from the age of 10. He picked up on how to play instruments while listening to cassettes and making sure to rewind the tape with a pencil to replay parts that he particularly enjoyed or wanted to perfect.
“I am a self-taught musician. While music was always a hobby and passion, I realised it could be something that I could earn my bread and butter from. This realisation came only when I was halfway through college,” he said. “I have played in a lot of the top Chennai bands like Je Suis, Soul Street, White Lady, New Horizons, Ryan and the Undercovers, Kavita Thomas and so on but, I was always the back-up, never at the forefront. After the Ed Sheeran concert, I realised that I wanted to create music live and on my own. It has been two-and-a-half years now since I quit my job and it has been good so far!”
His music genres cover songs from the 60s all the way up to songs fresh off the charts. His act is a live, energetic electro-acoustical act (a combination of acoustic, live looping, beatboxing, ghungroo, kazoo) and aims to be ‘the best of both worlds.’ “The current situation in the music industry is that there is a lot of electronically styled music that is killing live music,” he said. “It is a lot cheaper to get a DJ than a full band. People want to dance and have a good time too, which I understand. That’s why I have tried to mix both worlds in my music — a fusion of live and electronic music.” Troydon will be performing at Savera Hotel’s Bay 146 at 8.30 pm on Saturday. Entry fee is `750 (Fully redeemable for food and drink). For details, visit his Instagram handle @troydonator.