Day 1 of NH7 Weekender kicks off

December 3, 2016

The only reason why anyone would consider driving all the way to Hinjewadi this year is to attend the NH7 Weekender. Pushing against the traffic and frustration of people, the happiest music festival successfully kicked off yesterday. The first day saw several upcoming and known artists perform in front of an enthusiastic crowd. Acts by musicians like Sid Vashi, Zoya, Underground Authority, Nicholson, Dulaist Enquiry and Kanchan Daniel and The Beards saw the crowds waving their hands and enjoying every performance. In the end, Nucleya dropped some heavy bass beats to mark the completion of day one.

In just a few hours, the festivities of the second day will begin. We catch up with a few artists who are going to perform in the coming days.

Borkung Hrangkhawl is a rap artist who hails from Tripura. His music is powerful and it fights the racism faced by North Eastern Indians in the country. Answering a few questions, he gives us a glimpse into his genre and song writing style.

All of your songs incorporate a theme of rebellion for social justice. Is your music a way for you to find your identity and establish it?

I come from a state called Tripura where the indigenous population is declining at a very rapid pace. We are just 30 per cent compared to the outsiders who have come and settled there illegally. There is no employment and other opportunities for the tribals there. So, I thought that I should speak about these things in my songs. Music is a gift from God and “music” is a very strong medium through which messages can be spread. And, I am using this medium to spread awareness among the people and inspire the youth so that we can hope for a better tomorrow.

Why do you choose to rap in English and Hindi instead of the regional dialect?

If I rap in my dialect, which is Hrangkhawl, only a handful of people will understand my song as we are very few in number. We have 19 tribes in Tripura itself and each tribe speaks a different language. I choose to rap in English so that not only my people from my state understand me but from other states as well and if not, then the world.

What makes rap music a better medium for you to spread your message?

I find rap very interesting because of the rhythm and rhyme it has. We can express our happiness, anger, and our frustration in a poetic way. We are free to use word plays, metaphors and be creative with our rhymes and lines and get our message delivered. And, as rap is very direct, it’s the best medium for me to spread my message.

When Chai Met Toast is a band consisting of two members and their music is best described as happy. They define themselves as an indie-folk-alternative band. They recently released their debut album called ‘The Joy of Little Things’.

What message would you like to give your fans who have come to attend NH7?

We’d like to put through a message we try to convey in one of our songs. ‘Joy of Little Things’ reminds us to take happiness from and be thankful for the little things in life. Be it waking up at home to tea in bed, or singing in the shower at the top of your voice, these little things remind us to live our lives to the fullest and happiest possible!

Playing in front of a huge crowd of music lovers, does it still give you jitters and get your heart thumping?

Considering it is our first NH7, it’s scary but really awesome for us. Last year, we were talking amongst ourselves that we should play at NH7 the coming year, and to see it coming true in the biggest one – Pune, is a dream come true. That being said, the fact that we have experience playing in bigger stages makes it less nerve racking and more exciting to put through a great, fun show.

Have you’ll been exposed to the music culture in Pune? If so, how do you’ll think it’s different from back home in Kochi?

We recently played at the High Spirits Pune and loved the vibrant crowd we played to. We find that Pune has a young, independent music loving crowd who love to have fun!

Kochi is still growing in this sense, but considering it is home, we’ve always enjoyed playing there and have had people turn up in good numbers. It’s difficult to compare, but after the Weekender, we’ll probably have a better answer for this question!