Ankur Tewari on healing through music, the Indian indie boom and bringing intimacy to Lollapalooza India | EXCLUSIVE – Firstpost

In a music landscape increasingly dominated by speed, spectacle, and algorithms, Ankur Tewari has quietly built a body of work that resists urgency. His songs sit in the in-between- tender without being fragile, introspective without turning inward for the sake of it. Over the years, Tewari has emerged as one of the most consistent voices in India’s indie ecosystem, shaping not just his own sound but also nurturing collaborative spaces through initiatives like City Sessions and his work with Tiger Baby Records.

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As he gears up to perform at Lollapalooza India, a festival defined by scale and sensory overload, Tewari finds himself navigating an interesting contradiction- how does intimate, emotionally driven music translate on one of the country’s biggest live stages? In an exclusive conversation with Firstpost’s Zinia Bandyopadhyay, the singer-songwriter reflects on melancholy and hope, the changing contours of the Indian indie scene, creative integrity in a business-driven industry, and why human connection still matters in an era of artificial intelligence and shrinking attention spans.

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Excerpts from the interview below:

Many of your compositions sit comfortably between melancholy and hope. Do you see music as a form of emotional processing for yourself, or as a means of communication with the listener?

Music has always been a place of healing for me. By giving words to what I feel, I hope others can find their own emotions reflected there and feel less alone in carrying them.

The Indian indie scene has grown louder and larger over the years. Do you feel it has also grown more patient in terms of listening and engagement?

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The Indian indie scene has always been strong and active, but it has seen a marked increase in visibility and numbers in recent years. The slowdown of mainstream releases during the COVID lockdown brought a innovative audience to indie music. While it’s hard for me to say whether listeners have become more patient, engagement has undeniably grown.

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Your music often resonates deeply with urban Indian listeners navigating uncertainty, ambition, and emotional fatigue. Is that a generation you consciously write for?

I write for myself before anyone else. I’m often my own first listener, using songs as a way to make sense of what I’m going through. When the song is complete, I can only hope that what I’ve expressed finds a place in others as well.

Have you ever faced a dilemma between making a creative choice and making a business-driven one? How do you navigate that space currently?

Conflicts between creative intent and business considerations are inevitable. My approach is to simplify both the idea and its expression. More often than not, a thought that is clear, simple, and distinctive tends to make better business sense. Though this isn’t a rule that works out every time.

What are the key aspects you consider before giving your nod to a Bollywood project?

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For me, it begins with the screenplay and the director. I can only serve the story if I genuinely connect with it, and because making music is a collaborative process, the connection with the director matters deeply.

At a time when competition is immense, attention spans and time given to create something latest are limited, what do you see as the future for music directors and singers in India?

I am an optimist. I believe the future carries its own light, endless in its possibilities. Sometimes, all it takes is a single flame to soften the darkest room.

How are you integrating modern technology into your music-making process, while still retaining emotional authenticity?

I love technology, but I’m mindful of how I use it. It’s made music more accessible than ever, and when used well, it can aid artists move beyond gatekeepers. Still, I try to keep the soul of my work human, using technology to support the message and add a final touch of shine.

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With City Sessions, you brought artists together in a space that felt organic and collaborative. Can we expect more such projects or albums in the future?

There is a discipline and texture that comes from playing and recording a song live, in one unbroken take, something that feels increasingly rare in the age of artificial intelligence. At Tiger Baby Records, we’re embracing that spirit as we work on a new season of City Sessions.

You’re performing at Lollapalooza this year, a festival known for scale and spectacle. How do you adapt intimate, introspective music for a stage of that magnitude?

We’re curating a special, intimate set designed for sing-alongs, punctuated with a few upbeat moments. We’ll also be premiering select songs from my upcoming album, slated for a 2026 release. This will be the very first time anyone hears them. Alongside this, I’m working closely with my verein at Misfits to create a rich and immersive visual experience.

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Do you think Indian audiences presently are listening differently at concerts, less for spectacle and more for connection? Or does immense spectacle still matter?

As songwriters, we strive to write songs that connect on a deeper level. When listeners relate to the music, the spectacle, if appropriate to the stage and moment, can elevate the experience.

Name five artists you would love to collaborate with.

This is so hard to answer. Patti Smith, Sushin Shyam, AR Rahman, Arooj Aftab, Jon Batiste.

What advice would you give to someone novel to the music industry who’s trying to find a foothold now?

Follow your positiv.

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