Irrefutably, whether you’re in a blue funk or just vegetating in the couch; great music can really make a world of difference. Staunchly believing the same is Noel Reuben – a promising 21-year-old Mysuru-based guitarist, who is making waves in the music scene with his unadulterated alternative and pop rock music.
After performing early this month in the city, the young musician is well on his way to making a mark in Bengaluru. Heavily influenced by alternative, alternative pop and contemporary from the 90s and early 2000s, Noel’s music is intricately unique with notes that strike an immediate connect. We get chatty with the musician who shares the inside track with us...
While he made his first on-stage appearance only in 2014, Noel was always musically inclined. “I started playing the guitar when I was 10-years-old. I’m self-taught and learnt the basics from tutorials online and reading up. I was extremely shy, and hence never really played outside my bedroom those first few years! It was only later on that I started performing on stage and playing with bands,” shares the young artiste who has done over 25 gigs (including solo acoustic sets as well as live shows with Decode, his alternative rock band.)
Fortunately, for the ardent music lover, growing up with an equally passionate musician sibling only helped. “My brother Noah is a guitarist as well. It’s great that we share a common love for music. I’ve also done a few acoustic sets with him. When I perform, I usually do covers of songs along with a few original songs,” reveals the musician who believes that his ardent love for alternative rock, contemporary folk and pop music rubs off on his music too.”
I listen to a lot of alternative rock, contemporary folk and pop music. Growing up (10 to 15), I listened to a lot of punk/pop bands like Blink-182, Yellowcard, Simple Plan and the like. These bands influenced my style of playing a great deal. Now I love listening to bands like The Weepies, Angus & Julia Stone, Third Eye Blind, Foo Fighters, The 1975 and so on.”
Though his recent performance in the city got him the due recognition as an artiste, Noel believes that he has a long way to go. “ It’s indeed heartening to see so much support from youngsters and everyone around me. But personally, there is a lot to accomplish as a musician,” states the musician, whose SoundCloud page recently garnered an impressive traction with some of his covers getting around 5,000 plays.
Giving us a peek into his other interests, the youngster excitedly quips, “Yes, I have been recording music at home for the past eight years and it’s something I really enjoy doing. I’m also very interested in audio recording and editing too. But other than music, I absolutely love to cook! I love food and when I am not playing the guitar, I’ am watching cooking channels.”
With a couple of acoustic gigs lined up, Noel admits that he has got his hands full. “Performing in Bengaluru has given me an all new high. I will be on stage soon. At the same time, I’ve started working on myself more to become a better musician. Nothing can compare to the feeling of being on stage and playing music you love. But with opportunity comes great responsibility. So I want to get better with every stage performance,” signs off the youngster with a spark in his eyes.
