Prateek Kuhad On Building A Global Independent Music Career, Authenticity And Full Moon Chamber

Few independent artists have redefined India's global music narrative quite like Prateek Kuhad. From intimate acoustic songwriting sessions to sold-out international tours, the singer-songwriter has built one of the country's most successful independent careers without compromising on authenticity.

With his deeply personal lyricism and understated musical style, Kuhad has cultivated a devoted global fanbase while proving that emotional storytelling can transcend borders, languages and algorithms.

As he unveils his latest album, Full Moon Chamber, Kuhad reflects on the creative choices, business decisions and long-term vision that have shaped his journey from an independent artist to one of India's most internationally recognised musical voices.

Here are edited excerpts:

After building one of India’s strongest global independent careers, what business decisions have been as important as the music itself?

Every project teaches you something new, and Full Moon Chamber reinforced the importance of trusting that process. There was a version of this album that was essentially complete, but I felt there was an opportunity to push it further. Revisiting it, reworking songs, and spending more time shaping the record wasn’t necessarily the fastest path, but it was the right one. I’ve always believed that if you focus on making something you’re truly proud of, the rest tends to follow.

With Full Moon Chamber, are you taking creative risks that also reshape your long-term career strategy?

With this album, and with pretty much all the work I’ve done, my tendency has always been to let the work evolve naturally. It began as one thing and gradually became something else that felt better and more cohesive. The interludes were added later, songs changed shape, and the emotional arc of the record became clearer over time. I don’t think I was consciously trying to reshape my career, but every album challenges you a little as an artist. This one made me realize that I should double down on my instincts even more.

You’ve grown an international audience without chasing trends. In today’s algorithm-driven ecosystem, is authenticity still a competitive advantage?

Yeah, I do think people connect with honesty and genuine work. Technology changes, platforms change, and the way people discover music changes, but the reason someone comes back to a song remains largely the same. With Full Moon Chamber, I was writing about transformation, relationships, and finding your footing through change. Those experiences are deeply personal, but they’re also universal, and I think that allows people to find their own meaning in the songs.

How has your approach to releasing and marketing music evolved since your early independent days?

Fundamentally, I don’t think my approach has changed that much. I still begin by putting all my energy into the songs, then the production, and later into creating the visual world around the music. At this point in my career, I think I’ve just doubled down on all of those things. I have more experience now, as well as more people around me who can help bring that vision to life, so I feel more confident in the process and in what we’re able to create. But at its core, the approach is still largely the same.

Streaming helps amplify your music globally. Do you think the next phase of artist growth lies beyond streaming?

Streaming remains one of the most powerful ways for people to discover music, and it’s played a huge role in my journey. At the same time, making this album reminded me how much I value deeper listening experiences. Full Moon Chamber was designed as an album that unfolds over time, and I love the idea of creating spaces where people can engage with it in that way. Whether that’s through vinyl, listening sessions, or live performances, I think there’s growing interest in experiences that allow listeners to spend more time with the music.

Has touring become the primary driver of your career, with recorded music now serving a different role?

For me, the music still sits at the centre of everything. Touring is incredibly rewarding because it allows songs to take on a new life once they’re released, but those live experiences begin with the record. Right now, I’m excited because Full Moon Chamber will shape so much of what comes next. These songs have lived with me for a long time, and I’m looking forward to seeing how they evolve once audiences make them their own.

How do you balance building a global audience while staying rooted in your artistic identity?

I’ve never really approached songwriting with geography in mind. Some of this album was written while I was spending time in Los Angeles, and some of it was shaped by experiences from entirely different periods of my life, but the goal was always the same: to remain committed to my purpose as a songwriter. I’ve found that the more specific you are emotionally, the more people tend to find themselves in the music. That’s been true throughout my career, and it definitely felt true while making Full Moon Chamber.

As Indian artists gain international visibility, what opportunities do you think the industry is still failing to capitalize on?

I think we’re entering a really exciting period where audiences are increasingly open to discovering music from anywhere in the world. What excites me most is the opportunity for artists to build long-term relationships with listeners globally while still telling stories that feel deeply personal and rooted in their own experiences. The more diverse voices we see emerging from India, the richer that conversation becomes.

Looking back, what was the single biggest inflection point that transformed Prateek Kuhad from an independent artist into a global act?

It’s difficult to point to a single moment because it felt more like a gradual accumulation of experiences. What stands out to me is the realization that music can travel much further than the circumstances in which it’s created.

Over the years, I’ve had the chance to meet listeners from all over the world who connected with songs that started in a bedroom or a small studio. That never stops being surprising. In many ways, Full Moon Chamber feels like a reflection of that journey. It’s an album about change and transformation, arriving at a point where I’m looking back on one chapter while stepping into another.