ViS' upon a strum set

You’ve probably heard of the adage ‘what you are seeking is seeking you.’ And, inspiringly enough, it holds a great deal of truth in musician Dhruv Visvanath’s life. The Delhi-based boy with Bengaluru roots, envisioned a career in the aeronautical engineering arena. But, an unadulterated high that came with performing live, a personal loss and an innate drive to  help listeners experience a sense of longing and seek refuge in music (just the way he did) are what pivoted his career into music. And luckily for the acoustic guitarist who also sings, accolades weren’t far behind — making it as the only Indian to be mentioned in Acoustic Guitar Magazine USA’s ‘30 Great Guitarists under 30’ (2014). Dhruv was also nominated for a TOTO award (2012), in addition to playing for reputed sound fests like Pune’s Baaja Gaaja, and Delhi’s NH7 Weekender. The multi-instrumentalist, composer, singer- songwriter gets chatty with us, just as he is all set to take Bengaluru’s music lovers by storm on December 22...

“Bengaluru has a distinct vibe of its own. For this gig, I’ve collaborated with  Ajay Jayanthi, a very interesting violinist. As I’ve been performing a lot of solo gigs in the past year, this seems like a refreshing change I’m looking forward to. Audiences can expect a mash of soulful acoustic numbers with a few unique compositions,” shares Dhruv.

With a music career spanning six years, Dhruv’s had his share of ups. His latest project, the release of his new album, Orion, launched on September 19 skyrocketed his popularity among the young music loving folk in the country. “I tend to look at things that are close to me for inspiration. The music I create is from personal experiences. In fact, all of my music is largely a tribute to my dad,” he shares.  Dhruv made it as the ‘Artist of the Month’ (September 2014) of a popular mens magazine too.

Quite the case of sheer serendipity, this Delhi boy, who lived in the city for a long time was cut for music. “While in college, I decided to give auditions a shot and realised as much as the process of creating music and performing live was nerve-wracking, I realised the ‘rush’ and the ‘high’ that comes from performing were irreplaceable. Music made me confident and if I were to turn this down, it would be my biggest regret. That gave me an inkling about how this was exactly what I wanted to do,” shares Dhruv.

 Somewhere along the line, Dhruv also believes that music chose him. “As someone who’s been really attached to his family, my dad’s demise really had me devastated. That’s when I had to turn to music to divert my angst, and it was extremely therapeutic. It served as a catharsis,” he adds.  Defining his music, Dhruv says, “ I’d like to believe that my music has a eclectic mix of percussive, electro-acoustic, and hard rock with jumpy riffs.”

With the first single released on 24, and the release of his second album, The Lost Cause in the pipeline, and a few gigs, this acoustic guitarist is on a roll. “This album is what I’d like to call a collective effort by a bunch of earnest individuals. We crowdfunded it, and were able to raise up to 150 percent of our expectations. The funds raised have also helped me create music videos and produce meaningful music. I just hope to live up to the expectations of those who've invested in my music.”

— Dhruv will be performing live at Primal on December 22.