For singer/songwriter Anup KR, it was always about being artistic. The musician from the city has performed at a number of venues including The Wearhouse, Humming Tree, and Social. His song - The Bengaluru Song, is creating quite a stir as he even performed it live with Danish Sait! In a candid chat, Anup lets us in on his journey so far, upcoming gigs, and more…
For Anup, it has always been about art. "Ever since I was a kid, I've been inclined to the field of art," spills the 26-year-old. "But I only picked up the guitar when I was 15. A friend and I were watching music videos on YouTube and I was super inspired by the talent I saw," says Anup who then went on be a part of several bands, during his college years.
"I was in a band called Anup and Kenneth with Kenny Sebastian, and a few others, but now have started to work with the Loop Station." Going on to explain what that means he says, "Its a device that records music and plays it back in real time. So, I have the feel of a live band on stage while I play bass and do the vocals. It's still a new concept in the city."
Like any other musician, he started off by performing covers but now pens down his own tunes which are making waves across the city. "The idea of The Bengaluru Song came to me when I was driving and is about all things that we witness in the city on a daily basis. The lyrics are in Kannada so I think that's why it resonates so well with most localites. I'm a born and bred Kannadiga and decided to make use of it. And thinking about it, it does make more sense than putting on an English accent while singing, which does tend to happen," admits the musician who doubles as a graphic designer!
"I got into design at Chirakala Parishath and fell in love with it since. Even though I'm inclined towards music, I will always have a space for design," says Anup who also beat boxes!
So how does he spend his downtime? "The thing is I can't afford to chill out and hate having free time. Being busy is my thing because when I get free I start to question everything - like an existential crisis!" laughs the solo artiste. "And the best part is that my family is so supportive. My mother has known my obsession for art and pushed me to join Chitrakala when I wanted to pursue computer science," who is glad he listened and decided to pursue what he was meant for.
Anup will be performing at Easy Tiger on September 22.
