The craze around a new song gets over in 15 days.” “The independent music scene has to grow in Bengal.” “International streaming platforms don’t have Bengali playlists.” “It is time to start a mentoring community.” — These are some of the many important observations made by Mahendra Soni, co-founder and director of SVF, and SVF Music, and singer-songwriter Anupam Roy as they got together to talk about the changing landscape of the Bengali music scene. The Telegraph chat....
When we think of films like Autograph, 22shey Srabon or Hemlock Society, the songs immediately come to mind. However, most of the new Bengali films have only two-three songs. How do you see this situation?
Mahendra Soni: It’s the same in Bollywood. But there is a lot of independent work happening. The eco-system has been created... from curation to distribution to events. If you look at the Spotify India top 30 list, you’ll find 15 artistes who are independent. Ten years ago people would listen to music primarily on radio and music channels and on YouTube.
Anupam Roy: Ten years ago I would get to see the video of my new song on Sangeet Bangla but now I see it on YouTube, so there’s a change. Physical sales of CDs are no longer there. We now rely on the streams on Spotify, Amazon, Gaana etc. There are the digital streaming players and there’s YouTube.
Mahendra: It’ll become 90:10 in the future. Streaming will be 90 and YouTube will become 10. You’ll get probably Rs 20, 000 from a music video that has million views on YouTube. Meanwhile, you can get Rs 4-5 lakh in a month from streaming if you have that kind of a library. Music business has become distribution based, from streaming, doing Reels, television to radio.
Has the song-making process changed? Are you creating songs differently now?
Anupam: International streaming platforms don’t have Bengali playlists. You’ll find Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi playlists but not Bengali. So, what is lacking?
Mahendra: It is also a game of marketing from their side. They are not taking the Bengali market seriously. They think that the market is small. They are not acquiring customers in Bengal.
Anupam: They will invest only when they see huge returns.
How does one bridge the gap?
Mahendra: The conversation needs to start. No one is talking about the music business. Music has moved away from film music, that we have to acknowledge and then move forward. If your independent music scene is strong, only then a platform like Spotify will come.
Anupam: People want to listen to new songs, and I feel the demand is growing with each passing day. We have to make attractive content.
Mahendra: Sound has become very important. Mixing and mastering of a song has to be top class. If you listen to more Bengali songs on a streaming platform, the algorithm will give you more Bengali songs.
What’s your take on the lyrics? Does the audience want easy-to-access lyrics?
Mahendra: I think it is going on the lighter side. That’s the trend now. Lyrics are very important but the tune has to be really nice. Now the length of a song has become 2 minutes and 30 seconds. And in the first 10 seconds listeners decide whether they would like to listen to the song or not. So one has to start thinking of how to hook the listener in the first 10 seconds.
Anupam: And if I start thinking like this while composing a tune, I won’t be able to compose it. One has to make original songs in the independent space.
But we often get to hear remixed folk songs and Rabindrasangeet...
Mahendra: Because they are being presented in a new way. They are doing fantastic. The lo-fi versions of these songs are also doing very well. Everyone is aligned with world music.
Also, when it comes to the Bengali independent music scene, some of the artistes want instant fame and acclaim. Very few people have the patience now. One has to be passionate and one has to put in the time and dedication. You go to any platform and you’ll find 100 things being thrown at you. It is very important for an artiste to stand out among the crowd. One has to create that great music. The other things will follow.
Has the definition of a good song changed?
Mahendra: A good song has always remained a good song. Only the production design has changed. The audiences are also getting mature by listening to better music. Today we find people spending around two hours in a day listening to music on a streaming platform. They are being exposed to the best of music.
What kind of challenges is the Bengali musician facing now?
Anupam: We are now competing with international artistes. Even Ed Sheeran is my competitor now! It is as simple as that.
Mahendra: You are as good as your last song. A musician has to believe that every song that they deliver is their best. We all remember Amake amar moto. However, the craze around a new song gets over in 15 days.
Anupam: Our non-film songs must work. It can be from any artiste but it has to be a huge hit.
It is very important to create the buzz. But how can an independent artiste create the buzz around a song?
Mahendra: The musician can design it. There are so many ways to promote your song now. But then one has to work on it really hard. Chances are slim that a song from a new musician will become an overnight success. Maybe it’ll take a year, or more. Obviously a production house has a strategy and the marketing strength that can support a song.
However, no one can turn a flop song into a hit. We can ensure that good songs get the mileage and can go wherever they need to go. Beyond that you cannot do anything. Many independent musicians like Lifafa and Ritviz are creating waves. Some young talented artistes in Bengal are working here and there but no one is coming up with something great. The independent non-film music scene has to grow in Bengal.
Anupam: They have to create original content. I see more young people trying to make films now.
SVF nurtures talent from various fields. Can something similar happen in music?
Mahendra: We are doing our bit... the groundwork is on... but it’ll take some time. Of course, Anupam or an Arindom or Indraadip (Dasgupta) can deliver independent songs. But we also need talented young people.
Anupam: I see musicians doing shows but no one is recording a new, original song. When they record, they fall back on Rabindrasangeet or a traditional folk song. It is a vicious cycle.
What is the way forward for film music?
Mahendra: Songs will be there in films when required. These days specific situations are not created for songs in films. That used to happen in the old times.
Anupam: A film takes a song to a new place. My song from Belashuru did really well, and it was accompanied by images of Soumitra Chatterjee walking. It got a new meaning.
Mahendra: Independent artistes must write and create their own sound. And you have to reach the top of the playlist.
How can concerts improve the scene? Is it possible for an artiste to gain a following by playing the concert circuit?
Anupam: It used to happen maybe 20 years ago. But not anymore. Now, if your song is a hit, you’ll get to perform at a concert.
Mahendra: Unless you reach somewhere, and people ask you to come, there’s no point in just doing multiple concerts. One can get artistes from Bombay for the concerts. It is time to start a mentoring community. Bengal is below one per cent on international streaming platforms. So the market share of Bengal is going down with each passing day. Recently I was checking out the fan-made Chennai top 100 list on a platform and 95 per cent was local content. For the Bengal list, there was not a single song. It is painful. So why would Spotify come to Bengal? If our songs don’t feature there, why would they come?
What is radio’s role in all this?
Mahendra: Radio is important to promote a song. You can get to know about a song on the radio. From listening to songs in the car to checking the music out on the RJ’s page, radio has a huge reach.
Anupam: But radio doesn’t play non-film songs.
Mahendra: We, as SVF Music, are very happy with the growth that has happened in the last two years. The growth has been phenomenal. If a song is streamed one million times, you’ll get Rs 60, 000 to Rs 1 lakh. Music is like your share market business. Think long-term. A piece of music can be like your blue chip stock. Amake amar moto is giving him money and I’m also getting money. If you deliver, you can become the biggest pop star. You have to believe in yourself.
Anupam: Bengali music needs to be attractive.
Mahendra: There has to be a magic in the sound.
Coming back to mentoring... how can it happen?
Mahendra: We are open to it, if someone is keen to understand the business. If anyone is interested in creating the business of music, from production to how to deliver, if anyone is serious, both of us would be happy to mentor. But people need to understand it is not about putting up a video on YouTube.
Anupam: One has to stream the songs. Streaming is the way forward. Mahendra: We should all come together (from music companies to artistes) and maybe tell Spotify to create a Bengali genre. If we have to take back the musical landscape that we have already given away, everyone, from artistes to labels, needs to up their game.
Picture: Rashbehari Das