BENGALURU: One of the most affected sectors during the pandemic has been the music industry. But in the last couple of months, several shows have moved away from online to offline. Getting back on his feet now is Bengaluru-based rapper Vighnesh Shivanand, popularly known as Brodha V, who will be performing for the first time since the pandemic at GYLT on June 18.
Brodha V feels that live gigs are a great way to make money and engage with the audience. “I think the pandemic, in a larger sense, created a demand for online gigs among artistes flocking to Twitch or Instagram to share their music and perform for their audiences,” he says.
However, when the lockdowns subsequently lifted, the audience was keen to catch their favourite artistes performing live. “As an artiste, performing in front of an audience is something I really love and look forward to — there is nothing like being on stage, watching the excited audience sing and cheer with you,” the rapper says.
This Bengaluru lad has always had a passion for music. For as long as he can remember, he knew he wanted to become a rapper. Although Brodha V is excited to get back on stage after a two-year break, he feels it’ll be challenging. “Artistes do get a little rusty and they have had to work much harder to build back their stage presence, confidence and stamina. I believe performing comes naturally to me, so I am really looking forward to going back on stage and performing for my fans,” he says, adding, “I miss engaging with my fans. I am definitely very excited to jam with them once again.”
When asked about his favourite song, he says that each song has a different vibe and energy, and it is always great to see the audience react differently to every single one of them. “It’s a rollercoaster of emotions and high energy. Vainko (2019) having been featured on The Family Man led to many people who hadn’t heard my music look me up and listen to my songs,” he says.
To Brodha V, social media is a huge contributing factor. His song Vainko was trending on reels for a while, and a lot of celebrities shared content with Aathma Raama (2012). “It’s always a great feeling having your work recognised and appreciated. It gets discovered and rediscovered every day,” he says.
The rapper is planning to spend more time writing, recording and creating exciting music videos. “We will be out with our latest works very soon, it is something I have never done before and I am excited to see how my fans will react to it,” the rapper says. “The wait will be worth it,” he says.
Brodha V’s popular songs
All Divine (2022)
Vainko (2019)
Way Too Easy (2018)
Let ’em Talk (2017)
Aathma Raama (2012)