Tejas, Quite Literally, Made it All Happen At Every Single Point in His Journey to " Make It Happen "!

Tejas, the poster boy for the Independent music scene and we couldn’t be more excited for the gifted 28-year-old singer-songwriter, taking inspiration from 80’s pop-rock music, having developed his own signature sound over the years and having gotten so much love from music enthusiasts around the country. Whether he’s playing with his 5 piece band or giving a solo performance on the acoustic guitar, his music is something we come across rarely. It’s so honest, and beautiful. It seems his lyrics are an extension of his persona and that’s what makes us resonate with his music on such a deeper level. We were inquisitive about his writing process since it feels like it comes from a vulnerable place and is so organic. Tejas left his full-time job shortly after debuting his last EP ‘Small Victories’ and started making music full time, playing gigs and fests regularly and made a name for himself in a short period of time. All this based on his signature music style and a sincere fan base.  Having to deal with real shit like money crunches and sacrifices for the bigger picture is not exactly a course for the faint-hearted but that didn’t bring Tejas down.

Here's How Tejas Made It All Happen via "MAKE IT HAPPEN" fundraising campaign on Wishberry!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-CKovm-1YQ[/embedyt] Which brings me to the overwhelming response Tejas received for his crowd funded campaign to ‘Make It Happen’. The fact that he managed to raise a whooping ?4, 40,000, smashing the initial target of ?2, 00,000 in six hours is truly a testament to the mark his music has made. [caption id="attachment_1768" align="aligncenter" width="795"] Make It Happen By Tejas[/caption] His new album ‘Make It Happen’ is out now exclusively on Apple Music and MAN are we stoked! The recording of the album started earlier this year with the band comprising of Jesh Guha on Guitars, Adil Kurwa on the bass, Alok Padhye playing the Percussion/Keys, Jahangir Jehangir on the drums is also co-producing and Warren Mendonsa (Hands down, god of guitar) taking care of the mixing. The album is said to have a special edition featuring none other than, Vishal Dadlani collaborating with Tejas! Dadlani has often mentioned his excitement on this project himself!  What's also interesting to note here are the titles of the two albums released by Tejas, "Small Victories" and "Make It Happen", both reflect a sense of positivity, optimism, resilience, persistence in life, and somewhere sharing how Tejas has come a long way, celebrating at each turning point, learning from his rollercoaster ride.

MAKE IT HAPPEN - TEJAS (Custom Vinyl Live)

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2ZlL6hmPSw[/embedyt]

Tejas, speaks to Loudest on the eve of the exciting album release, shares about finding his calling, making it happen, geek life and cats!  

Loudest: Can you tell us the whole texture of this album? Is this an extension of your funky pop-rock vibe or are you taking us into soundscapes you’ve not explored before? Tejas: This album is definitely going for it in the sense that every song is broadly under the pop - rock genre, however, the album shows shades of my last 15 years of performing. It was always my dream to record my music in a ‘big studio’ album and you’ll notice a plethora of sounds ranging from acoustic to pop synth going on so I didn’t really want to restrict myself. All the songs on this album make sense together and we really wanted it to be as epic as possible. Loudest: Making the decision of quitting your full-time job to pursue your ‘calling’ - that must have been hard? What was your driving force or is putting out your music enough? Tejas: The fact that music is my passion and comes naturally is first and foremost and I just don't like doing things that I don’t like doing. I worked in Radio for 3 years and got a Masters degree when I came to Bombay, I didn’t have much clarity. Music is the only thing that has been consistent in my life. I won’t lie - It’s still not easy in terms of money since it’s not a traditional career path and I still struggle with small things like paying rent since music is hardly purchased now due to online streaming services. Performing live gigs is the only way to earn man but it’s the love and support from people who appreciate and acknowledge my music that makes it SO worth it. As long as I bring a little joy into people's lives. Loudest: What did it feel like when you literally saw in numbers how badly people out there wanted to listen to your music and would fund you to record it?Did that motivate you to push the boundaries for this album or did it feel like more pressure on ya’ll? Tejas: I was speechless, to be honest, and extremely nervous. I was never afraid of the music or how people would receive the album as well. It was solid. I wouldn't have asked people to invest in me and my art form. It was more about the commitment of time and rewards. For every lakh that I received - I put in double of that amount from my end. I think it’s worth it even If I never get to make an album again. Loudest: Does it just come naturally or is there a way for you to tap into that inner songwriter of yours? Tejas: I think in the beginning I would approach writing in a very doctored manner, trying to be cheeky, using metaphors and rhyming. I feel like now I’ve started trusting the new process which is a very raw way of doing it. I pick up the guitar and get the first hook of the song and start singing words out instinctively and then I try to contextualize and shape it. Most of my writing comes from a place where I don’t even understand but I find myself going back to it and thinking what was I thinking. Loudest: Tell us more about Geek Fruit. Was it for the nerd within or for a sense of community and belonging? Tejas: Both. I started Geek Fruit since when you’re growing up you start consuming all this content that you relate to. I had a turbulent childhood and wasn’t great academically. Star Wars and my little ‘geek world’ really resonated with me. I started reading a lot of comics, watched a lot of cartoons and really became such a crucial part of my life. Geek Fruit was more of a fun experiment with my friends and we’re nearing our 100th podcast soon and started ‘Nerditorium’ - a weekly discussion show where Jishnu, Dinkar, and Tejas talk about sci-fi, fantasy, pop-culture and everything else in the multiverse. It just makes us happy and who we are and it’s not really for a fan base. Loudest: Love the fact that you’ve adopted desi cats and they’re adorable! Tejas: I adopted Luke and Leah from friends of mine whose cat had given a litter. I had cats back in Pune too and love them. I got them home when they were about a month and a half old and I had just quit my job and had more time then. I was like I’ll take one for starters but a friend who rescues stray cats told me about a pair would be better so I eventually got both of them and they’re inseparable. Loudest: On asking him about his upcoming Debut Gig in the debut solo acoustic show in Dubai, the city he grew up in. Tejas: I’m excited but nervous because I’m going home after 10 years and showcasing my work that I’ve done so far, in a city I lived for 18 years. It’s fun and I’ll be going back to school and meeting the students of the music department too. Loudest: Are you happy the way ‘Make It Happen’ has turned out? Tejas: This album is my best work so far and is very indulgent. The next one will be more precise, more pop. I love intelligently crafted pop music. That’s rare these days. Loudest: There’s a Special edition of the album coming out soon early next year? Tejas: I’ve always wanted to do this. We have extra songs we didn’t put on the album because we felt it would get too long, the first song I ever wrote ‘See You Tonight’ just for posterity. Also, a bit of acoustic and remixes, some real cool rap, and Vishal Dadlani is a busy man so we’ll collaborate for the special edition album. Can’t wait for it! 

The album is available for streaming for the first week of launch exclusively on Apple Music - Hear it first on Apple Music