From social to personal

Casteism, corruption, communalism and political commentary have always been raging topics for independent artistes to create music on. While they have given a voice to the marginalised sections, musicians seem to be waking up to the need for voicing the struggles on a more personal level — from body image to sexuality, sexual harassment and depression. Sample this, multi-genre sextet Rhapsody recently dropped a single called Bhaari, featuring Lalit Bohra, which talks about fat shaming. Infused with Marwari rap, the track aims to give power to all plus-size people and states that the best diet is confidence. Like they say in the song, ‘Size teri hai beemaari...’ 

Around the same time, Delhi rock band the Mallroad Project released Thurky Boss, which is about sexual harassment in corporate houses. Not too long ago, in 2018, heavy metal band  Bloodywood, came out with a song, Jee Veeray, wherein Rahul Kerr rapped about depression and mental health. Then there is the Swedish musician Petter Wallenberg, who released India’s first LGBTQ anthem, Love is Love, in collaboration with Sushant Divgikar — the country’s first gay celebrity drag queen and a star of night clubs and TV shows. Petter told us earlier, his Rainbow Riots project started as a protest against criminalisation of same-sex relationships. “As a gay man, you are constantly seen as less of a human. I hope my work with Rainbow Riots shows people that we are all connected, across every border,” said he. 

Rhapsody; (inset) Artwork of Bhaari

THEY SAW IT HAPPENING AROUND THEM

Like all art, which is a reaction to what we see around us, for the Mallroad Project, Thurky Boss was created after seeing the treatment meted out to women in corporate houses. “We’ve seen things happening but it’s hard to protest or even talk about them. But when you write about it, it becomes easier to express. Also, people understand it better through music,” says lead guitarist of the band, Shankar Sharma. For Rhapsody, too, “Body-Shaming is something we’ve seen happen around us to our friends and family almost all the time. It brings down the confidence of many people in ways one can’t imagine,” they say. Bloodywood had told an outlet that a seemingly happy college mate committing suicide, making them realise how depression wasn’t visible to the eye.

The Mallroad Project (left); Artwork of Thurky Boss

For Petter, being seen as a criminal owing to his sexual orientation when he came to India two years ago, was the catalyst in collaborating with artistes like Sushant and Pragya Pallavi among others to sing about the LGBTQ folk. 

PROBLEMS NOT PAID ENOUGH ATTENTION

In Shankar’s opinion, anything to do with sex is a  taboo topic, and it’s not easy for people to talk about these things. “Similarly, there’s stigma attached to depression and other mental problems. Traditionally, the first instinct is victim shaming in the case of sexual misconduct or dubbing a person with mental health issues as mad. People don’t usually see it as a clinical problem,” he points out. He observes that problems involving an individual instead of a larger section of society are not deemed important enough to be spoken about. “People are vocal about issues related to communities or even the nation but when it comes to something personal, it’s hush-hush,” he shrugs.

Petter Wallenberg and Sushant Divgikar

Rhapsody also believes that sweeping these things under the carpet can be destructive. “Personal issues have maximum damage in any person’s life who is a
victim. Songs, movies, books on such issues could open eyes and also save a lot of lives,” they reason.

ARTISTES HAVE A VOICE

According to Shankar, artistes have the means to voice these frustrations and feelings through their songs. “When we say something, people listen. So, we need to use this to our advantage,” says he. Since people are more vocal about these issues now — MeToo Movement, laymen as well as celebs opening up about suffering from depression and decriminalisation of Article 377 — artistes must create more such work, state Shankar and Rhapsody. As the latter put it, “Artistes have a big audience in today’s world. It’s good to know there are many people using this as an advantage to speak for all those who feel trapped within a shell.” 

Bloodywood with rapper Rahul Kerr

Rahul was also quoted as saying that by bringing a serious topic like mental health into the mainstream media, they hoped to raise awareness and save a life. Shankar concurs, “Artistes need to encourage people to open up about the problems they face.” He points out that it should have happened a long time ago but it’s encouraging that it’s started now. “If you have the power to save somebody’s life through your talent, you’re the most powerful person in our opinion,” Rhapsody concludes.