The Chai'cotic four!

The band When Chai Met Toast calls its music ‘happy’ and you can see why when you listen in to their songs. The young band is back with a bang after a brief hiatus and is set to fire the stage as it is currently on a five city tour with stand-up comedian Kanan Gill.

The band started off with four metal heads working harmoniously after a chance meeting and jamming session in Fort Kochi between two musically-inclined guys. This led to the creation of When Chai Met Toast.  They are now one of the leading Indie/ acoustic bands from Kerala. Since their inception, there were many turning points yet no turning back for them during the successful run. “We feel great about it! From releasing Firefly to playing in some of the biggest festivals/venues in the country, each step has been a turning point. All of us are full time into music and that made the run much like a jog!” quips Pai Sailesh, the drummer.   

On whether they’ve received enough credits and recognition from their homeland Kerala for being one of the fast growing bands, Palee Franics, the keyboardist says, “Kerala is home, will always be. As the saying goes ‘you can find a Malayali even on the moon,’ the people are the reason for us growing to be one of the fast growing bands from the state.”  

Since their first song, the band and its songs are synonymous with happiness. But what helps them cultivate that ‘happy’ sound? “First of all, the happy vibe, lovable lyrics and we are all ears to other artists and songs. Lastly, but most importantly, we are a bunch of happy people,” says Ashwin, the lead vocalist. “We listen to a plethora of artists. Things have become easier with iTunes and Saavn. More than idols, each listens to a new great artist, thus inspirations are brimming,” he adds.

The Indian music scenario has changed a lot. In an ever-changing world, songs like Childish Gambino’s This is America and  Robin Thickle Blurred Lines are making waves by speaking about politics, gender inequality, colour discrimination and all.  Music has become a prominent way to protest or raise opinions like never before. The band thinks musicians and music in India are also not hesitant to reach out to that level. And they believe that the Indian music scenario has come very far. “We feel that songwriting is all about honest expression. In both the examples above, and numerous other occasions, artist have strongly voiced their opinions about what they feel or connect with. Let it be politics, gender inequality, love or discrimination. Music in India definitely has bands or artists who have taken a stand with their songwriting, just that they haven’t received enough mainstream coverage,” says Ashwin.

The band is also aiming big and hope to perform at an international event. “It’s a great feeling that our music has crossed boundaries, and has listeners across the globe. We have a bunch of anchor dates, and are trying to work a tour around it,” shares Palee.

They are currently on a five city tour with Kanan Gill, where they are previewing some of the tracks from their new album Believe. “We had been on a songwriting/production break for close to three months, so it feels great to get back on stage. It’s interesting  and amazing at the same time to be on tour with comedy and music together!” reflects Achyuth.

“For this tour, we are sticking with the original four-piece line-up. But we have plans for a tour with a brass section and violins. We will keep posting new announcements on our social media handles They think Indian music is still tangled in or bound with films and reality shows. But everything is going in the right direction.  “Getting to every household in the country isn’t an easy task. But now with the additions of Netflix, Amazon Prime and other streaming services, things have come to where licensing is playing a major role,” says Pai.

Ashwin says there are plenty of projects in pipeline and hopefully everything will turn out well. “We just worked on a massive one with our album and the music video for Believe. We want to give people a live experience of the same. So projects can wait, Gig times ahead. For now!”