Singer-songwriter Rohan Soloman's single We Demand Change, a powerful track, released in June this year and was submitted to the Grammy ballots in the Best Rock Performance category. To celebrate Christmas, the 37-year-old recently released It’s Christmas. In this edition of Soundscape, we speak to Solomon about his new single, what music means to him, his future plans, and more.
Excerpts…
How would you describe your musical style? Are there any particular genres that you prefer?
I would say that my music falls in the singer-songwriter/organic pop category. That is the funny thing about genres. What they mean keeps changing from generation to generation. For example, what was considered ‘pop’ in the 90s or early 2000s is not referred to as pop any longer (laughs), which is why I chose to use the word ‘organic’ to describe the kind of pop I am doing.
My favourite genres of music would be rock, singer-songwriter, organic pop, pop. I am also a huge fan of musical theatre. I absolutely love Broadway musicals and their soundtracks. I listen to soundtracks on music streaming platforms quite a bit.
What does music mean to you, personally? Has it helped you cope with the COVID lockdowns?
Music is a tool of expressing emotions and feelings. It does not matter if you are a musician or a listener.
Music is a gateway to express emotions.
Yes, music has definitely helped me cope with the lockdowns.
I went through a phase of writing new songs pretty regularly. It does not matter whether I release those songs or not. They were still my way of letting out my emotions during a tough phase. Once I got done venting those emotions through my guitar and my notepad, I would end up feeling much better. Music did wonders to preserve my mental health and keep me happy in a time where there was despair all around me.
Tell us about your process of working on the recently-released It’s Christmas.
It’s Christmas is such a fun and joyful song. My intention was that it should make one crave Christmassy things like cookies, Christmas decorations, family, wine, cake, etc. That is what Christmas means to me. I knew that if it ignited those emotions in me, it would definitely do so for anyone who listens to it. All the harmonies are very straight up “triad” harmonies, and they work perfectly. I have a trick for recording my vocals and making them sound like a choir. It is something I learned from watching a few amazing producers during my time in New York.
What are your plans for the future?
I do have some exciting stuff planned for 2022. I am producing my first single for 2022, and work on my album is going on in full swing.
I also have production projects lined up with a few artists. We will be working on their EP’s, which I am very excited about. I also have projects lined up in New York for the summer if COVID situation allows.
‘It’s Christmas’ by Rohan Soloman is available on all streaming platforms
Song - It’s Christmas
Artist - ROHAN SOLOMAN