CHENNAI: Thomson Andrews, India’s first R&B singer, has set foot in the Tamil film industry with his debut song Saridhaana Saridhaana in Amara Kaaviyam. The young artiste, who can sing in 17 languages, talks about his love for Indian music and how his first single People Ain’t Things is deeply influenced by his personal experiences. Excerpts from the interview:
How was it working in a Tamil film, especially in a movie like Amara Kaaviyam, which has big names like Ghibran and Arya?
The experience was overwhelming. Ghibran is an exceptionally talented music composer and Arya is a famous actor, who’s now discovering himself as a producer. Having said that, I have a deep connect to Tamil as my mother hails from a Tamil family. Though I’ve been born and brought up in a different culture, I can very well relate to the tradition of Tamil folks.
Any memorable moments while working on the song?
I learnt a lot while recording the song. Ghibran is an extremely humble person. The best part was that the recording was completed in a short span of just four hours, given the fact that Ghibran looks for extreme perfection in whatever he does.
Having acquired training in Hindustani classical, what attracted you towards taking up genres like R&B, funk, hip-hop and jazz which are more westernised and gaining prominence in India only recently?
I was doing a lot of concerts when I was around 18. I was more comfortable with R&B and jazz as I’ve been raised in a family set-up where I was exposed to gospel songs in church. I was convinced that R&B, jazz, funk and other westernised genres were the kinds I could work upon and improvise. However, I used to listen to a lot of other genres as well and at one point in time I wanted to learn Hindustani as it has a deep connect with the Indian culture. I just wanted to break the myth that I can sing only western types. There’s something unique in being able to sing varied genres. It adds to my versatility as a musician.
Are you are a self-taught vocalist?
YouTube was my teacher. In a country like India, where there aren’t any personal trainers for teaching western genres, I had little choice. I used to listen to all kinds of western songs and observe the singers, the nuances, lip movements and how they carry themselves and then, that became my daily habit. That’s how I became an R&B singer.
Your experiences working on the album People Ain’t Things?
As the name suggests, it talks about about how people take emotions of their dear ones for granted. The song is about a boy who realises one fine day that he has been cheated by his girlfriend. It talks about how he moves on in his life. I am thankful to Candy D’Souza, who produced the single, and Chester Misquitta who will be mixing it.
How did you come up with such a concept?
The song has a personal connect. When I was young, I was in love with a girl. Initially we shared a good rapport, but later I realised that she was cheating on me. It was a difficult phase for me to go through, but now I have moved ahead in life.
How do you feel being called ‘India’s first R&B singer-songwriter’?
It’s a joyous feeling, but it comes with a huge responsibility. The very idea that it’s me who’ll be representing India on the R&B genre makes me proud and work hard at the same time.
You can sing in 17 languages. How do you do it?
As my medium of learning is the Internet, I listen to various types of songs in different languages. The idea is straightforward — the emotions are the same, it’s only the languages that are different. When one understands that, language ceases to be a barrier.
How do you see the future of R&B music in India?
R&B is yet to evolve and maybe I’ll have to wait for a lifetime for that to happen (laughs). The classic melodies, on the other hand, can never die. As far as I am concerned, I cannot live without Indian music.
Your upcoming projects?
I’m presently working on two pieces apart from a few film projects. Jesus Christ Superstar is a Broadway Musical and I’m collaborating with international artistes for the same. The other one –Money is a composition that talks about the relationship between a girl and a boy, where the girl ‘loves’ the lad for money and the boy in turn asks the lass to give him bodily pleasure. The composition is a sarcastic one and I hope it becomes a hit.