Music Inc. 2019: Music Heals The World

Moderator - Mae Mariam Thomas - Founder - Made in India Panellist - Ricky Kej, Music Composer, Environmentalist, Producer, Sonam Kalra, Artist, The School Project -Dharavi, Dolly Rateshwar. ‘Music Heals The World’ - Says, Artistes On the second day of the one of the biggest Music conclave held at J W Marriott in Mumbai spoke about how music created a global impact. The esteemed panel discussed creating global impact with music. Thomas revisited her early age in 80s and 90s where she would listen to the coolest music on the radio while doing squats and hence music had an impact on her. Starting the session, Thomas, who was also the moderator opened the session asking panellists as In what way Music had impacted them and felt it during growing up years. Kej, a musician and an environmentalist, shared how during school years his schoolmates were obsessed with television programmes and how Kej would be finding his comfort in music. He further shared that how soon he would develop a connect with animals while listening to music. He says, “Music starts and sounds with nature. Music helped me connect with the environment and sustainability.” Kej, an ambassador of the UN now performs only environmental music. For Sonam Kalra, Music was always in the house during her grown-up years. She shares her earliest memory of Music was how at the age of three she would say on her mother’s lap and would listen to Beghum Akhtar, to international artists on an old phonograph. “I liked being in charge of the music being created.” But for Kalra, she started singing at a very young age. Kalra said that she had taken a break from music and then again got back when she realised that she wants to say something through her music. “When I sing I feel at home” Rateshwar though wasn’t too attached with music but she pointed out that her family believed in giving back to the society. She educates about how hip hop is not only about rap but also has elements of Be-Boeing. Kej tells that music is a very powerful language and the brands have been using music since time immemorial. “Music is the only way I connect to the world and being an impact in their lives. One can try to change the world but it’s important is to create impact one needs to be creative with their work." Kej believes that one needs to make a difference to the people who have been being neglected at a global level. He shared how he created music to bring awareness to curb air pollution. With the language of music, how important it is to find the right way to bring the message out Kalra said that it is imperative to have the right music for the right targeted people. Kalra to bring changes in people’s mindset and the horrors of partition, she had created a musical and performed in order to teach people and heal them. “How do you take a family and draw a line random and divide them,” questioned Kalra, who had been doing shows on her musical called Partition Musical in a bid to remove the stigma of being called ‘Refugee’. For Kalra even if through her music even one person changes his/ her outlook her service towards music is served. Rateshwar shared how she has been helping kids from the low strata of the society helping them with lyrics and giving them a platform to nurture and develop their art of expression through lyrics. The school of Dharavi - a project by Rateshwar to help children hone their skills and give an opportunity to children to take music or art to a global level. The penalist believes that the social impact through music has been achieved by national and international artistes.