Nishant Shekar is an award winning, Grammy nominated singer, composer, and producer. He combines Indian classical music, jazz, blues, pop, R&B and other world styles. He’s trained in both Indian Classical and Western contemporary styles. He plays with two other terrific musicians who have been guests on the podcast: bassist Ciara Moser and drummer Lumanyano Mzi. And he’s done a collaboration with Stewart Copeland of the Police on the album “Police Beyond Borders”.
My featured song is "The Week”, from the album East Side Sessions. Spotify link.
CONNECT WITH NISHANT:
www.nishantshekar.co
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SONGFEST:
- Kya Likhu Main (17:47) — the Hindi R&B cinematic rock song; Nishant confirms on air it means "what do I write"
- Assure (23:11) — the song's theme is being washed ashore from time to time and then taken out at sea
- I Trust (26:08) — a song by the artist introduced on air, with Lumanyano Mzi on drums, from the album Blind So What
- King of Pain (28:01) — Nishant's version of the Police song, from the Police Beyond Borders album with Stewart Copeland
**DISCUSSION SEGMENTS:**
- 6:30 — Self-taught from childhood: piano lessons lasted two weeks before "connect the dots" notation put him off
- 8:23 — Growing up in Oman on American entertainment: Akon, Linkin Park and the Backstreet Boys were huge; NSYNC was unheard until he reached the States
- 10:49 — A Bollywood-only musical childhood: Indian cinema was effectively the only music India consumed, with no independent-artist scene until just before the pandemic
- 13:46 — India as "symphonic chaos": buses, ox carts and everything else on the road, and it works
- 19:30 — Versatility versus identity: why he chose Hindi for his own song, after years of fear about putting out something that was only his
- 28:49 — Working with Stewart Copeland: the two-week deadline, Abbey Road orchestration, and the COVID-hit choir sessions rebuilt with Berklee friends at 3 a.m.
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ROBERT'S LATEST SINGLE:
“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Cello).
"Short, Sweet and Totally Different"
CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO
CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS
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Audio production:
Jimmy Ravenscroft
Kymera Films
Connect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:
Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.com
Follow Robert’s band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:
Website - www.projectgrandslam.com