Indie musician Kazkaz started off as Vivek Leo when he first released ‘Cold’, a Malayalam single, in early 2023. Having worked as a ghost producer in the Malayalam film industry, the lack of remuneration and credits set him on a path to venture out on his own; this time, without a veil to hide his musical talents.
The singer-songwriter has since been working on his debut album titled Exordium. Having just released the first track ‘Sun’ online, the positive responses garnered prove that Kazkaz is a vibrant young talent whose musical prominence is on the rise. A chat with the artiste about his experience as a ghost producer, what his album is all about, and more. Excerpts from the conversation:
Tell us all about your debut album and your recently released single.
Exordium consists of 12 songs and the first single was released recently. The track conveys the importance of embracing and relishing your life and following your passion and dreams irrespective of the constraints and expectations that others impose on you.
How would you describe your music to a first-time listener?
My music is mainly of the genre, electropop. My personal life and society heavily influence my music and songwriting. I hope my music gets through to individuals going through similar experiences.
How do you approach writing and producing a song?
I get inspired by real-life events or nature and I try to incorporate that into my music.
As an artiste, how important is experimenting for you?
I believe experimenting helps an artiste evolve. Hence, I try to step out of my comfort zone and boundaries.
What are some of the issues faced by indie artistes in India today?
I think it’s difficult for indie artistes to reach the right audience. The number of investors and record labels that support indie artistes is very low in India.
What was your experience as a ghost producer in the Malayalam film industry like?
My experience as a ghost producer was poor. I believe many musicians are working tirelessly behind the curtains for those in the industry who are in the limelight. However, they get only a small amount of remuneration, and sometimes such programmers or ghost producers are even forced to work for free! Further, many music directors ignore the artiste behind the art and take credit for the song along with the money.
Who are some of the artistes that have inspired you for this album?
Some of the artistes that inspire me are Linkin Park, Kid Cudi, Frank Ocean, A$AP Rocky, Monolink, and Ben Bohmer.