Post the launch of The Lost Cause, a fresh album release on April 19 and an upcoming International gig, Delhi boy Dhruv Visvanath is on a roll. “I honestly haven’t kept track of the counts and shares. But, every time a fan tags me or gives me a thumbs up for any of the tracks in The Lost Cause, it certainly gives me a high! The album represents a journey of self discovery.”
Inspired by the stories of his family’s history, in 2016, Dhruv embarked on an entirely independently organised tour across India, to 17 cities. The tour, also named The Lost Cause gave inspiration to his latest work, and allowed him to dig deep into his own childhood and create the tracks that make this album today. The release of his most-awaited sophomore album was done via the crowdfunding route. Speaking of the same, Dhruv adds,
“It’s direct access to your superfans. It’s not just an experience, but makes you realise that you’re a creator who needs the help of people no matter what. But, that said, I’d also like to stress on the fact that opting for crowdfunding puts added (but healthy) pressure on the artiste. You work doubly hard so that the campaign remains strong and deliver an experience that does justice to the money that people have invested.” Listed as one of the 30 Great Guitarists Under 30 in the world by Acoustic Guitar Magazine USA, (alongside Ed Sheeran, Newton Faulkner, Laura Marling etc.), it didn’t take long for Dhruv to find takers and garner adulation. In 2015, Dhruv was signed for prominent Bollywood singer and composer, Vishal Dadlani’s record label VLT records, and shortly thereafter released his debut record Orion with critical acclaim. In 2016, Dhruv was the first artist in India to single handedly plan and execute a 17 city, and six week tour across the country
Multi-instrumentalist, composer, singer-songwriter, but most importantly a storyteller — at 26, Dhruv believes that as an artist, he shoulders a massive responsibility. “As a musician, I believe it’s important to tell stories through your creations — stories that will act as a vehicle of self discovery and stories that inspire.”
Gently dodging his future plans, Dhruv signs off by stating, “Post this album realease, I really think I need to give myself a break. But, I also have another showcase at the Canadian Music Week (CMW, Toronto) in May 2018. I’m really excited for that as it’s an honour to be invited to be showcasing my work and share the stage with several other talented musicians from world over. I’m not really thinking beyond that.”
