Welcome back to another edition of Beneath the Surface. Today I am joined by the endlessly intriguing and utterly talented Abhi Ananda, off the back of his new album Melophile. We get down to the depths of his artistry and learn all about some upcoming projects so sit back relax and let’s get to it!
What would you say first sparked your interest in music/who inspired you to make music?
My passion for music started when I picked up guitar as my first instrument at age of 14. After I was able to play (strum) it properly, I usually spent hours singing my favorite songs with guitar accompaniment. This process really helped me to understand chord progressions and song structures better. It finally came to the point where I started writing my own original songs. Back then, my main inspiration was love songs. I think that’s the most common aspect in a teenager’s life, right?!
How would you describe the music you are currently creating?
I would say my musical style has changed a lot over the years. Nowadays, I try to create music that listeners can relax and chill with, but at the same time can inspire them or lift their moods, instead of making them more depressed.
What does your creative process look like?
I always start with melodies. When I jam with guitar or piano, I usually play whatever progressions I like at that moment. Then, I put the melodic lines by mumbling whatever words that come to my mind. I’m not a native English speaker, so I don’t really care too much about grammar in this process. The good thing about singing out the words (instead of humming or singing the “la la la” syllables) is that you can initially capture the emotion of the song. My next step is solidifying these musical ideas in a form of section (usually Verse and Chorus) by singing it repeatedly and then recording it on my phone.
The lyrics writing usually takes place when I decide that I’m gonna record and produce the song for work purposes.
Who would you most like to collaborate with? (let’s send it out to the universe and make it happen!)
Right now, I would say Phoebe Bridgers for an American artist and Hania Rani for international artist. They both have a distinctive style of songwriting and composition that I’m really digging right now.
What is the one message you would like to send out to your fans?
Be authentic and genuine. It’s a rare thing to see in this world nowadays.
What’s your top tip to rejuvenate your creativity/get over a writer’s block?
For me, watching movies or listening to other artists always do the trick.
Some other tips I can think about are taking a walk, reading books, and probably having a deep conversation with friends.
What’s next for you, what do we have to look forward to/ what are you currently working on?
I’m about to release a single for my band project. Hopefully, I can release it by the end of this year. Then, I’m planning to release a first album for this project next year. This album is gonna be an exciting one because this is like a fresh new band project for me. It will have some materials from my old project that I’ve been putting on hold and also some new materials that I’ve written recently. So, I’m super excited to make it happen!
Keep up with Abhi Ananda: