Songversations
Client | Kappa TV
Organisation | Aum-i Artistes
My Role | Concept, Research, Hosting, Creative Direction
How do you break the mould of the TV interview format,
and create a counterpoint?
Conversations on music.
Songversations.
Songversations is a one-of-a-kind TV show that takes viewers on a personal journey into the practices and processes and obsessions and inspirations that shape the independent music scene in India, giving them an intimate look at the lives and craft of some of the most celebrated artistes of our time.
Longform, freewheeling, podcast-like.
Commissioned by Kappa TV for Mathrubhumi, Aum-i Artistes teamed up with top-notch musicians across all genres and career stages, including Harish Sivaramakrishnan (founder of the Carnatic Progressive Rock band, Agam), Bijibal (Kerala State Award winning film composer), Oorali (acclaimed street music and theatre collective), Suraj Mani (former frontman of the iconic Motherjane, music entrepreneur), and Bruce Lee Mani (lead vocalist & guitarist of the Bangalore-based Thermal and a Quarter, two-time winner of the Rolling Stone Magazine ‘Guitar Player of the Year’ Award) among several others, and gave me the opportunity to have longform, freewheeling, podcast-like conversations with each one of them about their life, their music, and of course, everything else.
Disrupting the Talk Show format.
Songversations explores the artistry, creative process, and personal stories behind the music. As the Host and Creative Director of the show, my goal was to create a much-needed counterpoint to traditional interview format and really get into What it Means to Be This Musician.
The show's loyal following and extensive reach also made it the perfect platform for artistes, labels, and sponsors who wanted to connect with a passionate and dedicated audience of music lovers.
Getting into the weeds.
The format of the show is unique in that it offers a relaxed and intimate setting that allows artistes to open up about their personal lives, careers, and experiences in a way that is both insightful and entertaining.
Engaging and thought-provoking questions became synonymous with Songversations, providing an open-ended framework for the featured guest to share their insights and perspectives on the industry and their musicianship.
Music beyond borders.
Not only did these guests reflect an under-appreciated category of independent music (often side-lined next to mainstream film music), but their genuine appreciation for the craft, and earnestness to look outside of their own territory, allowed Songversations to transcend demographics and go beyond linguistic/cultural differences.
With a focus on all genres of music, from rock to hip-hop, country to jazz, the show offered a unique and authentic look at the world of music.
Seeing first-hand.
The ultimate reward of developing Songversations was that it leveraged the authentic, the obscure and the unconventional in a way that resonated with a wide demographic of listeners and viewers with diverse tastes in music and pop culture. The show's unique blend of in-depth interviews, candid discussions, behind-the-scenes footage and impromptu performances gave the viewers a chance to see first-hand how these artists develop their craftmanship. We broke the moulds of conventional artiste profiling, and crafted a story that was relatable, engaging, disarming and, importantly, human.
According to the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India ratings, Songversations consistently ranked as one of the most-watched talk shows on Kappa TV, with an average of 50K viewers per episode.
With 2 seasons and 25 guests spanning over 150 episodes, the show became a staple of the independent music world, providing a unique and insightful perspective on the artmaking life. Made exclusively for TV, some of the episodes were uploaded a year later on Kappa Originals, the YouTube home of the channel.
Songversations’ success is a testament to the growing popularity of independent music in India and the fascination that listeners have with the creative process. From a business perspective, the show also provided a unique and valuable platform for brands like the online ticketing service, Book My Show, that wanted to connect with a young, passionate and concert-going audience in an authentic and meaningful way.
