It’s nice to envision a vibrant music industry in Nagaland but certainly not possible to achieve without sacrifices, understanding and passion from the people in the music scene. Only the insiders at the helm of the music scene are really aware of the hard work and contributions made by certain individuals.
Meet a young Naga from Dimapur who is no stranger to the music scene. Blessed with a versatile and raspy tone, Kevi Pucho started singing from a very young age. Besides performing, while still in school, he also developed a knack for sound management. Immersed in the music scene at this young stage, he had already started to appreciate the talent and musical prowess of local Naga artistes. But he noticed the lack in quality music production, and felt inspired to do something about it.
Kevi is the vocalist of “We The Giants”, currently among the most popular bands in Nagaland and also the North East. He is also a Recording Engineer and proprietor of Element Indie Records based in Dimapur. His work repertoire boasts of the best singers and bands from Nagaland. More amazing is the fact that bands like Paper Sky, Celestial Sphere, Dossers Urge, Street Stories come from Shillong, Manipur, Kolkata, Pune, Bangalore, and Delhi seeking him out for his mixing and recording skills.
Sharing his journey, Kevi said, “I started my studio from my bedroom. I didn’t know many musicians back then so I started to record people for free in my bedroom. My long time friend and musician Alobo Naga and his band recorded their popular track “Painted Dreams” in my room. We had to turn off the fans, cover the doors with blankets etc while recording. It is a fun memory for all of us even today,” he laughs at the memory.
As music is not always considered the safest choice of career, Kevi had to make a deal with his parents. He first completed a degree in Psychology and then applied for another degree at the Delhi Film Institute (DFI). He turned down a job offer as a full-time recording engineer for a studio in Delhi and came back to Nagaland in 2010. He explains, “The reason why I even took the course was to come back and offer quality recording work. I was determined to change the quality of music production in Nagaland. I feel that I’m contributing in helping the artistes take their talents to the next level. I capture their music vision with my production and mixing skills. At the end of the day, if my client says that he/she is satisfied with my work, that’s my success story.”
This talent and passion for music runs in the family. Kevi is the younger brother of Jack Pucho, one of Nagaland’s power house singers. Giving us a glimpse of his early beginnings, Kevi said, “I used to share a room with my brother. He used to play a lot of 80s music and make me listen to love songs. I would dig the music and thanks to him that’s how I connected to music.” Clearly inspired by Jack, he says, “I have to give it to him as a brother and as a musician. He just does his thing and does not even look for appreciation or publicity. I would always watch him sing and play the guitar and think what If I could also do that.”
Sharing his take on Music as an Industry in Nagaland, he said, “We hardly have any shows or festivals and even lesser sponsors. Most times we end up having to play for free or shell out money from our own pockets. There is no music festival in Nagaland. The Hornbill Rock Contest is a contest not a festival. There’s a difference to it. The current generation artistes are smarter and depend on Facebook and Youtube to get their music out.”
But the best thing, he says, about being a part of the current music scene in Nagaland right is that the music fraternity is pretty united. “In my own personal experience, we help each other out and I feel they are going to be there for me so I feel secure. I believe our generation right now can make a big difference by not depending on the people who are supposed to do things for us. The voice is already out there”, he firmly states. And with this in mind, he says that his ultimate goal is to setup his own record label.
To every upcoming artiste he offers this advice, “Get some studio experience. You will learn a lot once you record and hear yourself because you can listen to your own tone and pick out flaws. I’m not saying come to mine. Just go to any studio with a good producer.” Adding to this, he also invites young musicians to come and take his assistance. “My studio doors are open. I’m willing to answer queries and help people who are willing to learn or even intern with me.” He will soon be giving training in audio diploma course for 3 months at the soon to be launched music school “Music-A” in Dimapur.