Friday, 10 February 2017

Rhythm of Life with Naitik Nagda

Exclusive interview with India’s no 1 percussionist/ Dhol player Naitik Kesri Nagda

Animals by Naitik Nagda is a must watch! 

In an exclusive interview with Butterfly talkies, Naitik Nagda opens up about how he went on to become India’s Dandiya King named by Midday and takes us through his journey of finding musical inspiration.

From starting his career with well- known musicians Kalyanji Anandiji’s musical troupe ‘Little Wonders’ at the age of 10 to becoming a hotelier, Naitik’s career has been a narrative.

In an intimate telephonic conversation, the rockstar talks about what ticks him as a musician and what inspires him to produce the mind blowing sounds he does from junk material.

His famous remix track on Martin Garrix's classic ‘Animal’ has won him over five lakh hits on YouTube in less than a year that’s made him a block buster hit in the music industry.

Read the interview here:


What do you feel about music?

It’s a pleasure to be featured on your blog. Firstly, I have no professional training in music. I feel grateful to God to bless me with this talent of making music from sounds around me.

If you ask me what I feel about music, it would be that I bring value to rhythm in the musical world. At the age of 3, I started making music from playing with lunch boxes around me at home.This because I believe any form of sound can be created into music. 

This faith made me make my wheeldrum act from using trash cans, metal plates, dustbins and waterbottles. I’m the only one musician in India playing the wheeldrum.
I create such music that makes the audience excited enough to dance on my beats.

In 2009, Naitik went on to participate in ‘MTV Rock On’ the first ever musical reality show the popular music channel. Kailash Kher was one of the judges and among five hundered contestants from all over India, he went on to win the show. Kailash Kher loved his music so much that he made him a part of his band.

Who is your inspiration?

I don’t have any inspiration as such because I started very early in age. My main objective is to create rhythmic music that people can hear and enjoy.

He started playing dhol at a very small amount of Rs.250 for two hours & today he performs all over India with his own full fledged band called ‘N2 Band’. The music wonder has even featured on Amitabh Bachchan’s talent show on History TV called ‘The Great Indian Talent show’

Who is that one sounding board in your life that has supported you in your struggle to reach the top?

My wife is my backbone. When the world told her not to marry me as I was a rhythmist, she chose to have faith in me and here I am.

Talking about personal life Naitik Nagda’s son Hiyaan is just 3 years old & like his father he also plays dhol & grabs the attraction of the audience.

How do you make music?

I sit alone and experiment with materials around me. I play them and try and create music from them. Right now I’m working on making music from pipes. I started hitting the top of the pipe and have been successful in creating music from it. I play it in a way that if you hear it you won’t come to know the music is coming from pipes unless you see it. I will be releasing this track next week.

The talented Mr. Nagda has even featured on MTV’s ‘Coke Studio’ with Bollywood music composers Sachin-Jigar.

What motivates you to stay grounded?

I pray to god every morning that God should not make me proud. As long as you are humble you have no negativity around you.  

He has also opened a restaurant recently in Mumbai Ghatkoper named 'Kyros'. He is also the Brand ambassador of Men's Wear brand 'ZOOP'.

If there was one thing you could wish from God in your music career what would it be?

Everyone from singers to sound artists should be treated equally.
My aim is to promote musicians. Singers are treated better than musicians because they are at the forefront. But nobody looks at the hard work that the musicians put into making music and keeping up with the singers. I want to remove the bar graph between singers and musicians.

Keep Rocking,
Maya 

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