In the '90s, when musician Savan Kotecha first entered the US music industry with dreams of being in a boy band, he was bluntly told that ‘no girl will put an Indian guy on her wall’ and he should focus on songwriting instead. “I knew back then that was true, but I always waited for the day when it would be possible to do it,” says Kotecha. Having written hits like What Makes You Beautiful and One Thing for One Direction, God Is A Woman for Ariana Grande, Sapphire for Ed Sheeran, and many more, Kotecha has put together a boy band under his label Visva Records, along with Republic Records, and Universal Music India which may just make his doubters in the ‘90s change their minds.
Named OutStation, the band has 5 members from across the country between the ages of 17 and 22. One member, Bhuvan Shetty, is from Udupi, Karnataka. Others include Hemang Singh from Prayagraj, Mashaal Shaikh from Goa, Kurien Sebastian, a Malayali from Delhi, and Shayan Pattem from Hyderabad.
The aim was to create a band that ‘feels truly Indian’, says Kotecha, adding. “I think what K-pop did right was that it got so big in South Korea that the rest of the world had to pay attention. We don’t need to look to the West for validation. I want them to become a phenomenon in India first, and if it gets big enough, the West will pay attention.”
Shetty was scouted through his social media profile, where he regularly covers songs with a guitar accompanying his soulful voice. Clearing a multi-round audition process, he was put in a boot camp with 11 other boys. “The camp was pretty hectic, there was no time at all, but it was life-changing,” says Shetty. Kotecha explains its purpose, ending with 5 boys finally selected, “We made sure we had vocal coaches and choreographers teaching them, but we also did things like go busking on the beach and start performing, getting them used to what being in a band would feel like. It was a chemistry test, but also about seeing everyone’s work ethic.”
What can we expect the band to sound like? Kotecha has envisioned a pan-Indian musical flavour that still feels like the pop music that people love about boy bands. “While we aren’t completely sure of the final sound at this stage, we want to bring a regional touch to pop music,” says Shetty, who taught himself classical music and grew up listening to 5 Seconds of Summer and Yungblud. He shares a glimpse into what the band is working on, saying, “We’ve worked on a few verses and choruses so far and are planning to make a bunch of short songs adding up to 40-45 minutes long.”
While Kotecha emphasises that OutStation will sound completely different from One Direction, with whom he’s worked extensively, he admits to bringing some things he’s learnt with them to his work with OutStation. “When One Direction was first put together, chemistry and the bond they had together were really important. It has been the same for OutStation – to give them the freedom to be themselves. For example, none of the guys are natural dancers, so while they’re going to move on stage, we’re not doing any elaborate choreographies,” says Kotecha, revealing that the band will soon start performing in different cities.
Since the announcement, OutStation has been preparing for their debut in Mumbai and keeping their fledgling fanbase updated through social media – short covers of songs, moments from their days, and snippets of studio sessions. “In the morning, I do my riyaaz, which I never skip, then movement sessions, performance practice, vocal lessons…” lists off Shetty.
What is the dream all this work is leading up to? “I want to go all out,” says Shetty with the hint of a smile, “Be the greatest boy band that ever existed.”