Amit Trivedi seems to be taking over the music scene with his specific blend of folksy melodies and deep rhythms. With National Awards and blockbuster credits already under his belt, it doesn’t look like he’s slowing down in 2018. We talk to him about where he’s going and what he’s singing as he preps for his performance at the SulaFest ’18 this weekend (Feb 3-4)…

What is keeping you busy these days?

As of now, I’m working on Blackmail, Raid and Bhavesh Joshi. With these three films to work on, I’m just kind of going mad. This year is packed until December, with films coming out back-to-back. 

What do you have in store for this year’s performance? What can we look forward to?

I’ve divided my set into two parts, the first part is only for the ears and next is for the legs. It’s a mix of film music and originals from Coke Studio. This is my first time [performing at the festival]. I’ve heard a lot of amazing things about SulaFest: the energy, the crowd and the overall vibe of the festival, especially with the international line-up. I want to come and see everything. If time permits, I’d love to come on the 3rd and watch the entire thing. And of course, my set is also what I’m most excited about. Whoever is keen on listening to Bollywood, the music that I do – I’m looking forward to seeing all of them over there. 

Who are the other artists from the SulaFest line up you want to watch? 

Parov Stellar(the Austrian DJ who’s pioneered the electro swing movement and produced hits with Lana Del Rey, Bryan Ferry and Lady Gaga) and Bauchklang (a five-piece ‘vocal groove collective’ from Austria that relies on beat boxing and acapella to create music from electro and drum ‘n’ bass to hip hop).

How are you preparing for SulaFest ’18?

It was very tough, because we usually play a two-and-a-half hour set and here I have only 60 minutes. It was very difficult to cut the set short, choosing the right songs is a terrible task. I have a lot of songs, and picking the best ones was very challenging for the entire team. 

What is your biggest achievement?

I have won National Awards and achieved quite enough in my life. But I’m still very ambitious and I want to do lots of good work and see where it takes me. 

Are you someone who holds on to failures?

I used to. But I’ve learnt to let it go. Bombay Velvet failed and my attempt at jazz fell flat on its face. I was dejected and disappointed, but I moved on, otherwise depression mein jaoge and your whole life will get affected. You’re successful in something and you fail in something. It’s okay. 

Which young musician should we keep our eye on?

Meghna Mishra. She’s just a 16-year-old girl who I would say, is absolutely fantastic. I have a feeling that she’ll fly. Keep an eye on her. 

What is your experience with Sula, the wine?

Well I’ve recently turned into a wine drinker and I can honestly say that so far I’ve always had Sula wine and the taste is growing on me. I prefer reds, always.