The next step in taking up a new challenge usually has to do with wrestling the feeling of self-doubt that clouds the mind. In such times, most of us are not immune to thoughts such as ‘Will people like it?’ or ‘What if I fail?’. It was no different for singer-songwriter Shourya Malhotra (30). The Indirapuram-based artiste, who has been a practising lawyer since 2015, wrote his first song almost a decade ago but kept postponing its release due to self-doubt. A musician from his collegiate days—he was part of a metal band named ‘Trigger’—Malhotra quit his job in January 2020, to finally pursue his true passion, music. He has been crafting melodies ever since.
For Lost Memories, which is his debut single, was released on February 4. Produced by Varun Rajput, founder of the Delhi-based Hindi rock band Antariksh, Malhotra serves up raspy vocals and a dreamy melody in this song centred on accepting the end of a relationship.
In this week’s Soundscape, we speak to Malhotra about his music preferences, the inspiration behind the song, and more.
Excerpts…
Which are the artistes who inspire you, and the genres that you prefer as a music lover?
I try to actively discover and listen to many artistes across genres, from jazz to extreme metal, almost every day. In the indie space, my songwriting has taken a lot of inspiration from Nick Drake, Elliot Smith, Laura Marling, Sufjan Stevens. Nowadays, I frequently listen to the works of jazz legends like John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Bill Evans, along with modern pianists like Stephan Moccio, Alexandra Stréliski, and DeLange.
In an interview you’ve mentioned that ‘For Lost Memories’ is about “healing through the grief of unrequited love”. Tell us more about the writing process and how the song came into being.
Strangely, For Lost Memories has probably been the fastest song I have written. I was playing around with the guitar on an alternate tune, and the song basically built itself in an organic way. I wanted the song to be an honest and intimate “Thank you and goodbye!” song. I find writing lyrics to be the most challenging part of songwriting, but with this one, it came very naturally. I am particularly fond of the last section of the song where I wrote, “I’m proud, and I’ll always be / There’s me in you, there’s you in me./ But our paths do not cross/ we’ll do this again, with love on our side”, which seemed like a good way to say goodbye.
How was it collaborated with Varun Rajput (producer) for this song?
Varun and I go a long way back. In fact, I recorded a demo for a song with him almost a decade ago, but never really shared it with anyone. When I started writing again, I wanted Varun to be a part of the process. He is an excellent musician and producer, and really helped me shape the song and added a different dimension to the track with the keys, slide guitar, and production. The best thing is that Varun is incredibly patient and brings a lot to the table creatively. The singer-songwriter space is very new to me, so I am glad to have Varun and his experience in the music industry in my corner.
What's in the pipeline?
You can expect so much coming your way! Varun and I have already started recording another single; we plan to release it very soon. I intend to release music very frequently this year because I have a lot of material in the pipeline. I am writing new music almost every day. There are some surprises in store as well, but a little too soon to talk about them. I am really enjoying the ride!
‘Shourya Malhotra's For Lost Memories’ is streaming on all leading platforms
Song- For Lost Memories
Artist- Shourya Malhotra