Global sensation Mohini Dey talks about her musical journey as a teenager, her wish to collaborate with Bruno Mars

Global sensation and bass guitarist Mohini Dey speaks to CE about her musical journey as a teenager, how she forwent a career in fashion designing and her upcoming album that will feature guitar wizar
Bass guitarist Mohini Dey performing at Ravindra Bharathi in Hyderabad on Friday | S Senbagapandiyan
Bass guitarist Mohini Dey performing at Ravindra Bharathi in Hyderabad on Friday | S Senbagapandiyan

HYDERABAD: The last time virtuoso bass guitarist Mohini Dey was in Hyderabad, she had shared the stage with another maestro, ‘the guitar god’, Guthrie Govan. Mohini, who was yet again in the city last week to perform for the 8th edition of Sangitanjaly Foundation’s One World Fusion concert, speaks to CE about her musical journey as a teenager, how she forwent a career in fashion designing, her wish to collaborate with Bruno Mars and her upcoming album which will feature guitar wizard Steve Vai.

As opposed to the common belief, the 25-year-old did not want to be a musician while growing up, she wanted to get into the world of fashion designing. “Music happened because I was born in a musical family — with my mom as a singer and dad as a bass guitarist. When I was around 13 years old, I had three golden opportunities. I was offered a full scholarship at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, a job at AR Rahman’s band where I could direct and make bass lines, and the third was an admission in a fashion design college where had I got selected. I was in a conundrum. So I chose AR,” says Mohini.

She wanted to learn from her elders, their ways of dealing with the ‘real world’ and their mannerisms. It was difficult to make the life decisions as a teenager, she confesses. “I never made up my mind about anything; I was did what I felt like,” she says.

Soon, the bass guitarist had to drop out of college as she had to frequently visit Chennai to do Rahman’s songs for movies and other gigs during her Class 12 boards. She later completed her Class 12 through Mumbai University as a private candidate. “Then life happened,” says Mohini, and adds that she went on to collaborate with renowned Bollywood composers such as Salim-Sulaiman, Arijit Singh, Amit Trivedi, Vishal-Shekhar, and other notable artistes.

At the same time, Mohini started her YouTube channel where she would upload videos of her bass-playing, which got her international recognition. Drummers Vinnie Colaiuta, Dennis Chambers, Dave Weckl, Marco Minnemann, and Dream Theatre keyboardist Jordan Rudess started approaching her to collaborate. “The funny thing is, I knew about Steve Vai from my sister, who is a guitarist. We were talking about him one day and in the same week, I got an email from him. So, I asked if he was the same Steve Vai and she said yes, he’s the same!” laughs Mohini.

Steve and Vinnie are set to play on Mohini’s upcoming album, which is still ‘super confidential’.
Now this might be shocking, Mohini says, but the bass shredder wants to collaborate with none other than pop sensation Bruno Mars! “The digital medium pushes you to do things that are out of your comfort zone. People kind of liked my cover of Charlie Puth’s Attention. As an Indian musician, and that too a woman, I could bring the different influences — Carnatic, Hindustani and jazz aspects to my voice, my instrument. I think that’s what makes me able to read music directors’ minds and that’s probably why they want to work with me,” she says.

Renowned bass guitarist Sujoy Dey, Mohini’s father, was her first teacher. “My dad was so busy and would come home late at night. But he would wake me up, even if it was 1 am, and teach me. It was difficult to manage college and studies with music. I didn’t have friends! All my friends were uncles and brothers!” says Mohini.

Despite the various styles she plays, she cannot stick to one for long. “When you expose yourself to different types of music, it pushes and challenges you more. You learn from others and apply it that in different types of music, which you otherwise cannot unless you play various forms of music,” says Mohini, who loves Konnakol-based fusion funk and will explore the genre in her new album.

Mohini’s favourite bass players

  • Jaco Pastorius
  • Victor Wooten
  • Hadrien Feraud
  • John Patitucci
  • Abraham Laboriel
  • Anton Davidyants
  • Federico Malaman

Global sensation and bass guitarist Mohini Dey speaks to CE about her musical journey as a teenager, how she forwent a career in fashion designing and her upcoming album that will feature guitar wizard Steve Vai  
 

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