I would want my future music to break the borders: Tirath Sandhu aka tricksingh

A young artist from Chandigarh, who recently shifted to Mumbai has been making music that has garnered a lot of attention. Tirath Sandhu aka tricksingh is gaining momentum as he looks to keep his repertoire growing. Just about 24 years and he has already toured internationally with Bally Sagoo, won a debut artist award and had his music shared by the likes of Aayushman Khurana and Shahid Kapoor to name a few. Tricksingh has recently released his latest track ‘Labda Firaan’ with Def Jam India and we had a candid conversation with him. Read more to know what he says:

What is ‘tricksingh’ about?

Tricks is my childhood name and trick is also about playing with the sound to create a newer version for Punjabi core. Most of the Punjabi music that I grew up listening to wasn’t the one I could resonate with much. I started looking at West for music inspiration in terms of sound. The sonic signature of Punjab was fixed in a way from the times of Chamkeela to the older times of Diljit Dosanjh. I felt that there wasn’t a sound representing urban Punjab, the younger generation. The entire idea of trick singh is to take Punjabi core and play around with a more urban sound.

Tell us more about ‘Labda Firaan’

‘Labda Firaan’ is essentially a song about finding purpose and looking to do what you would want to. I feel that a lot of us who come from conventional backgrounds struggle with finding our creative self. With no regular salary per se, the artists here in India have to fight the cultural battles which are associated with ‘financial stability’. The idea then, for the song, was to take the sonic signature of the West and talk about real life struggles that we face.

Watch the song here:

How did the collaboration come up with NDS?

NDS and I have been in touch for a while. We are all part of the artist community that works out of Chandigarh and elsewhere. We met through Def Jam India and it just clicked between the two of us. It was quite seamless, and we were on the same page to create something that sounds fresh.

How would you define the sound of this song?

For this song, I brought amapiano in the mix. Internationally too, amapiano sound is coming up fast, it’s a mix of percussion and afro-beats. With this new age sound and regional roots, we have a created a fusion that has elements of its own. I also think that there is no such thing as a truly new sound. Every idea is an amalgamation of existing ones, and exploring what clicks for you. I look to create an identity where if one hears a tricksingh song, he or she can instantly recognise it with the sonic texture.

How has it been working with Def Jam India?

From Kanye West, Drake to Rihanna, Justin Bieber, all have been with Def Jam and they have been the artists who I have listened to from my childhood. So, it was always great to be associated with such a big label. They have been giving me huge artistic freedom so I never felt that there is a barrier to what I can experiment with. They are at the forefront of bringing fresh sounds in India and that’s a great synergy for me as an artist.

Tell us about the video

The entire idea of ‘Labda Firaan’ was about searching something or someone. I wanted to create a video that is not just enjoyable but also introspective in its essence. People watching this video should be able to think of how their life could have been different if they had decided to chase their dreams. The message I am trying to give to my audience is that they should at least giving a shot to their dreams.

So what’s next to come from your end?

There is a lot of music in the works. Apart from collaborations in India, I am also trying to figure out international collaborations. I want to bridge the gap in a way that people should be able to enjoy my music no matter which country it is playing in. Its already doing well in US, Canada, Australia, South Asia and I would want it to reach beyond these countries-areas too. I would want my future music to break the borders.

What are the benchmarks that you have set for yourself to define success on your own terms?

I have some North Stars. I want to hit a Billion Streams, I want to be in Forbes 30 Under 30 and I want to do Louis Vitton campaign.

I am actually working towards creating a personality-identity. I am very keen on fashion and whatever I wear is from a home grown brand. I recently opened for a fashion show too. I would want to put myself not just in the music space but also in the culture space, where everything from music, art, visuals come together.

What is the sonic texture that you are looking to create?

I feel that Hip Hop in India has had a very hard-core sound to it. I want to bring a more chill sound to Hip Hop which is more melodic, and you can enjoy it in an easy setting. Along with this, I want to do more cross-cultural projects, collaborating with South Indian artists, artists from Singapore, etc.

Well, that’s tricksingh, tricking into listening his music by way of the unique sounds that he is creating. Enjoy ‘Labda Firaan’ and tune into more of his work!