The Now Generation

It’s something I started doing at the side while working in the hospitality industry. Now it’s become mostly full time.

I’m actually going to start one of my longest DJ residencies at one of Mumbai’s most legendary bar so I’m seriously excited about that.

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What genre do you play?

Genre: House, Acid, Disco, Jazz, Techno, there’s so much to listen to and so much to play!

3)A song that saw you through your childhood to now, something that's remained a constant:

Tupac – ‘All About U’

4) The future of the Indian music industry according to you is?

It’s looking bright.

5) What’s your personal style like?

I basically wear shirts from the eighties and Jeans from the nineties.

If your songs were one person, what would their style be?

This person would be comfortable, funky, one that doesn’t follow any trends. He’s in his own space and doesn’t care what anyone has to say.

7) That time music, as a form of expression really moved you?

Quite literally, every single time.

Five favourite artists of all time?

Tupac, Patrick Cowley, Beverly Hills 808303, Ray Mang, Incognito to name just a few.

9) A gig or festival you'd love to perform at: It has to be Dekmantel.

10)Your spirit artist (someone whose music, persona you feel comes closest to yours):

Tupac Shakur. He's got to be one of the biggest influences in my life.

PALOMA MONNAPPA, 27

1) Is your career in music something you do on the side or is it your full time job?

It’s part time. Surf, act and I also model.

2) Genre:

It’s constantly changing. When I first started DJ’ing I used to play a lot of drum n’ bass and dub step and now I play everything from Disco to House.

3) Name some of your favourite artist: That’s a tough question. Currently my favourite artist is Anderson Paak.

4) A song that saw you through your childhood to now, something that's remained a constant? Harvest Moon by Neil Young

5) Where do you see the Indian music scene headed in the future? It appears to be constantly growing & evolving, it’s only getting better! So much young talent & potential in our country at this point in time, so there’s definitely something to watch out for.

6)Your style in clothes: Casual with a mix of boho and Grunge.

7)Has there ever been a moment in time that music as a form of expression really moved you? If so, what was it? Of course! It was when I watched Bjork for the first time live four years ago at Pukkelpop festival in Brussels.

8) A gig or festival you’re dying to perform at? Boiler Room.

9) Who is your spirit artist? Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star)

ZOYA, 23

1) Tell us a little about what you do?

Touring Singer-songwriter is my full time job. I consult for upcoming bands and host master classes at various schools on the side. I graduated from Berklee College of Music with a Music Business Degree and in the past have worked as an artist manager, at a touring agency, branding agency and talent agency.

What genre does your music fall under?

Fusion folk/pop singer-songwriter

What was your first song?

The first song I wrote was when I was around 9, hardly remember it, but the first song I released and that became popular was called “Catch & Release”.

4) A song that saw you through your childhood to now, something that's remained a constant:

My dad used to sing me Fly ‘Me To The Moon’ by Frank Sinatra when I was little. Always makes me want to cry listening to that one.

5) The future of the Indian music industry according to you:

Independent contemporary western music is on the verge of breaking India's mainstream surface. And it's a good thing. It is time that India became a part of the global music industry in more avenues than just Bollywood. This is the right time and the right place to be creating and performing indie music. The future is dependent on the building blocks we create now. I can't wait to see how high we can build this underground scene. There is so much talent, expression and creativity that need to be heard on a global scale.

6) Your style in clothes: minimal bohemian chic

7) If your songs were one person, what would their style be?

Free spirits, travelers, roamers and gypsies – They would have tattoos. Every piece of dress would have a story and every piece of jewelry will have a memory.

8) That time music, as a form of expression really moved you?

Every time I have nowhere to turn and when silence feels painful. Music saves me. Whether I’m listening to it or making it.

Five favourite artists of all time?

Fiona Apple, Laura Marling, Ani DiFranco, Ben Howard, Camille

10) Dream gig/ festival you’d like to perform at?

It’s actually a venue. Red Rocks Amphitheater.

11) Someone whose music and persona you feel comes closest to yours?

Ani DiFranco

KANCHAN DANIEL, 26

1)Is music a hobby for you or a full time career? It’s a hobby that may just become something I do full time.

2)What kind of music do you make? Blues Rock and Soul

3)Do you remember your first ever song? Lola and Jim

4)Is there a song that’s remained evergreen for you? One that you’ve never grown out of?

Hotstepper by Ini Kamoze

5)What are your thoughts on the Indian music industry? Where do you see it headed?

Although the Indian Music Industry is still rooted in dance music and Bollywood, as an audience we are and have been opening up to and welcoming different genres of music and giving the bands that make this music the space to grow and get recognized. So I guess the future does look bright!

6)What kind of clothes do you like to wear? Minimal with a touch of Bohemian.

7)Imagine that your music was a person, with an identity, what would that person be like?

That person would be the absolute bohemian / blues mama vibe that Janis Joplin exudes sometimes combined with the dominatrix leather pants of Beth Hart.

8)Has music ever made you overcome with emotion? Tell us about it? I think music moves me every time I am on stage because I am putting in so much emotion into my songs that at times I get lost in all the beautiful overwhelming feelings that take over me then.

9)Who are your five favourite artists of all time? They are, Led Zeppelin, Bootleg Rascals, Janis Joplin, Beth Hart, Erykah Badu and Robert Plant.

10)A gig/festival you'd love to perform at? CrossRoads!

11)If you had a spirit artist, who would it be? Janis Joplin!

RACHEL V./ IAMI, You don’t ask a lady her age!

1) Is music something you like doing on the side or is it something you’re building a career out of?

It’s a full time job for me.

What genre do you work with?

I have never been one to fit into any certain genre. Musical Chameleon.

Your first song:

Invincible Minds

4) A song that saw you through your childhood to now, something that's remained a constant: Vincent by Don Mclean

What is the future of the Indian music industry looking like according to you?

It’s going to Boom, times are changing, I see big things ahead.

What would you say your style in clothes is?

It’s very boho chic meets Street Style inspired. Easy with an element of fun.

7) If your songs were one person, what would their style be?:

They would wear really cool clothes that would be a mix between some tribal prints and relaxed Cuts. Breezy, boho and eclectic.

That time music, as a form of expression really moved you:

Nina Simone is my idol. So any time she sings, I’m overcome with emotions.

Five favourite artists of all time- band/ solo/ dj/ someone who plays an instrument:

This isn’t even the start but here goes- Lauryn Hill, Zero7, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Simon & Garfunkel.

10) Is there a festival you’d love to perform at? Byron Bay Blues Festival

Who is your spirit artist?

I don’t think we can compare on basis of Music. But I’d like to believe my Spirit artist is Nai Palm in terms of persona.

SOHRAB NICHOLSON, 30

1)Job: Is your career in music something you do on the side or is it your full time job?

This is a full time job. Between commercial projects and my indie project with Rohan Ramanna.

2)Genre: Pop.

3)What was your first song? ‘For What’.

Oh it’s Tiny Dancer by Elton John.

The future of the Indian music industry according to you:

I think we'll see growth in a way that we haven't seen before in the indie scene. Things have been scaling up pretty significantly in the last few years.

6)Your style in clothes:

Un-fussed and comfortable.

If songs were a person they'd be warmly dressed. The music feels like winter.

that time music, as a form of expression really moved you:

Quite often in the studio when we're writing.

Five favourite artists of all time- band/ solo/ dj/ someone who plays an instrument:

This keeps changing every week. But for right this instant- Radiohead, Four-tet, Bon-Iver, Alt+J and Parekh and Singh.

A gig/festival you'd love to perform at:

Glastonbury.