Young star Arnav Maggo opens up about his music, art and society in an exclusive interview with Dainik Samvaad.
Tell us about your journey, right from childhood, with and for music.
I have always been extremely passionate about music and knew that it would be a significant part of my life. I was introduced to bands like Pink Floyd, The Beatles, and Queen by my father when I was about 13 and remember being particularly mesmerized by the guitar work and the sound in general. Shortly after I picked up the guitar, would play for hours every day, and quickly became deeply involved in music. Over the years it was almost like a companion through every phase. While in the US, it transitioned from being a passion to a dream career. I was dedicating a lot of time and energy to it, collaborating with local musicians and playing in bands ranging from folk to heavy metal however I found my solo work quite fulfilling. Over time my inclination towards it grew and I decided to move back and do it more seriously.
What inspires you to talk about the themes of self-realization, fighting life’s stagnancy?
I think it’s something that everyone goes through at some point in the form of a relationship, job or simply a mental state. It’s something that I have been through as well, and every time I start writing a song these topics slip in some way or the other. I think it’s something I have a natural inclination towards.
What are the responsibilities of an artist, towards the society?
I think art strongly shapes a society’s culture and enhances life in many ways like music decorates time, art decorates space and so on. It serves a lot of purposes to the society, as an example, it helped a lot of people cope with the pandemic. I think an artist should be honest in talking about the human condition and contribute in a sincere manner so that people can make the piece their own and find a place for it in their lives.
What is the kind of change you wish to bring in our society?
Mainly by creating a sense of community. I hope my music will enhance people’s experiences and they’ll make the songs their own.
What bothers you most about the music industry?
I have noticed in the world of music some people have a tendency to be very strict in defining genres and music in general, for example, rock music should only be a certain way and if it’s mixed hip-hop it is somehow diluted. This is something that doesn’t necessarily bother me but I stay away from such inflexible slotting because it stops the music from evolving and discovering new possibilities. I like the idea of having guidelines but not rigid rules when it comes to music and art in general.
How easy or difficult is it to let go of societal and peer pressure?
I think the pressure around this career is less than it used to be as it has become a bit more common, and has a promising future so I don’t necessarily come across any societal pressure.
Please share your family details, and how it functions to help us understand better, how you deal with it all.
My dad is a finance professional, sister is in design school and mom is an entrepreneur and homemaker. We go back and forth between Delhi and Dubai, but I am in Delhi most of the time. They are all quite supportive.
Please share your biggest dream
I want to have a musical catalog that I am proud of. I want to also have explored multiple genres and collaborated with other musicians, and keep getting my message across- people have started coming up and telling me that my songs helped them get through something or helped them find a new perspective. That to me is quite rewarding and I want to keep doing that. One of my favorite pieces in music history is the Live Aid concert, which was a worldwide charity show for the Ethiopian famine, being involved in something like that at some point will truly be a dream come true.
Please share details of any upcoming projects.
I have a few more songs in the pipeline that I am excited to release, and in the meantime I am working on potential projects, exploring new ideas and experimenting.