BENGALURU: Bullying, body shaming and name calling…as unfortunate as they are, these are often experienced by teenagers on a daily basis. While some comments can break the person, it can also make them. Highlighting all of these are 14-year-old and 15-year-old Varun Anand and Arushi Paul, respectively, who composed and sang Free.
Students of Moksha Academy and training under Richard Andrew Dudley, the song has received 11k views on YouTube since its release recently. Speaking to CE, Anand says, “I started my musical journey at the age of four. I play a couple of instruments, like the guitar, keyboard, drums and bass guitar, and becoming a producer and composer has always been my dream. I’m glad I was able to do the same with Free.” Paul, on the other hand, writes and sings her own lyrics. “Free is a very important song for both of us because we are victims of being bullied and body shamed too. There’s a part in the video where we show messages we have personally received,” she explains.
The lyrics showcase that the harsh words used against teenagers can be impactful but at the same time could also help them rise and become stronger. “That’s exactly what we wanted to convey and feel powerful at the same time,” adds Paul, who has sung multiple cover songs on her YouTube channel.
Starring in the video themselves has been a learning experience. While Paul loves being in front of the camera, Anand took some time to get comfortable. “It was definitely awkward for me but I think the more we did it, the more comfortable I got,” he laughs.
Richard Andrew Dudley, their music teacher, says, “Both of them are very talented, not only in terms of understanding music but also being able to work with it and do what is required to make the process a powerful one.”
Paul and Anand, students of Gopalan International School, spend their weekends training with Dudley. “Weekdays are usually busy with school work, so I give most of my time to singing and practising during the weekends. I want to continue singing and pursue music even if I don’t take it up as a full-time course after I’m done with my board exams,” says Paul. Anand chips in, “I practise the instruments for at least two hours each day. I’m currently also working on composing more music and I hope to release it in the coming months.”
