As singer and songwriter Shivam Chowhan returned to Hyderabad for another live performance, the city already felt familiar to him. Between the warmth of the audience, the comfort of returning to a place he has visited several times, and his love for the city’s food, Hyderabad seemed less like a tour stop and more like home. Fresh off his performance at Studio XO x Stonewaters, Nanakramguda, Shivam spoke about music, simplicity, creative struggles, and more.
Talking about his bond with the city, Shivam said Hyderabad has always welcomed him warmly. “This is my second home. I have performed in Hyderabad many times,” he shared with a smile. Food, unsurprisingly, is one of his favourite memories from the city. Speaking excitedly about local flavours, he added, “I love the food here, especially gunpowder idli. Hyderabad has the best South Indian food, and the biryani is very tasty.”
The singer, known for his soulful stage presence, performed a set filled with Bollywood melodies. Sharing what the audience could expect from the evening, he explained how deeply Bollywood music connects with his band. “It’s going to be a Bollywood melody because the band came together through their shared love for Bollywood music. We listen to a lot of 2000s Bollywood music and tonight, the band will play those songs,” he said.
For Shivam, music was never a carefully planned career choice. Reflecting on when he realised music was meant for him, he narrated, “Whenever I sing, I feel really happy. And when I see people becoming happy while listening to me, I feel even happier. I realised we were exchanging energy. That was the moment I felt I should make a band.” (smiles)
He also opened up about the challenges musicians face today, especially with the growing divide between independent music and Bollywood music. “The biggest challenge for our band is that even if we are singing Bollywood covers, we want people to see us as unique,” he explained.
Shivam also spoke about how every artist brings their individuality to their art. “Every individual is unique, and whoever sings, whether bhajan, Bollywood or Indie, is simply sharing their art and humming their feelings,” the singer added.
Despite the pressures of social media and viral trends, Shivam highlighted, “There are two types of people in music. One does it to become famous, while the other does it with his heart. These days, social media and the idea of being viral are extremely distracting because many artists feel they have to become viral first to make music. That is the big difference. Music is something you always do for yourself.”
Speaking about what success means to him, Shivam revealed, “Success means to me today that I can do music full-time and give my attention to it 24 hours a day, which I could not do earlier. Since dropping out in my third year of college, I have always wanted to focus completely on music. When I started travelling with the band and talking about music all day, that was the moment I felt I had become a little successful.”
Even as his live performances continue to draw crowds, Shivam is now focusing on original music with his band. He revealed that the group is currently working on a 12-song album scheduled for release this year. For him, the band matters more than individual limelight. As he puts it, “I don’t want only one person to shine. I want people to know everyone in the band individually.”
