Coming from a smaller city, what was your formation like?
I grew up in a tier two city, in the heart of Punjab, in the 90s. Although culturally rich, it was very disconnected from the alternative cultures, which had just started to proliferate into India (rock, indie, electronica etc). Growing up on my father's music collection, the likes of Queen and Bruce Springsteen,  i went unto to discover contemporaries like Linkin Park, Eminem, Bryan Adams, and Limp Bizkit... Eventually i picked up my fathers broken acoustic (tuning up all the strings to a single note). Was my first instrument! Fast forward a few years, I went to law school and dropped out, to move to Pune (so that I could play in a band) and began performing at college festivals. Once the band broke up, and I moved in with my then-girlfriend, I realised I needed a real job to survive.... I decided to pursue a course in Audio Engineering, following which I landed a few studio gigs in Mumbai and Pune, leading to regular work. I eventually worked my way up to the Mumbai's music industry, working with award-winning producer KJ Singh. At the same time, I created a new band or call it a project titled Pinocchio's Moment of Clarity! The band and the music struck itself out for a while - we toured across India, playing clubs and festivals. The initial years went by so fast, stepping into the music scene.

Over time you developed your skills as a singer, guitarist, composer and sound-designer. Also the vernacular aspect. How does it all work, in the music ecosystem?
The music industry is constantly evolving, and there is an influx of new talent, every few years ... to keep a tab on what all is going on is nearly impossible. I'm very grateful to have been able to find a place for myself, over time, where I am not constantly running after trends... I began writing all my lyrics in Hindi and bits of Punjabi, making the music a lot of more locally relevant, understandable, because the public has to resonate (and not just me). And since it felt like it was coming from a really honest place because I was writing about my own experiences and feelings. I feel this is one genuine way of creating narratives which are your own, which are real!

How do you separate Nivid and Barren Sound? What can a new artist learn from such diversification? 
Nivid follows an aesthetic- everything that we do is visualised and planned to deliver a certain experience or call it impact! Barren Sound is a sound solutions company - mostly delivering to projects which are commissioned. At Barren Sound, over time, we developed a certain type of clientele and aural quality. From time to time Barren Sound has ventured out into live events, game development work and even artist management. As for new artists, it means constant learning and diversification. One can plan it, to achieve tangible results. This way in a new world, where you don't have record labels or representation at a tertiary level. I am constantly building new structures, working with various eggs and incubation of ideas - but in different baskets, That way, I am assured that the 'ship' stays afloat and moving towards new horizons...

About the various types of projects you have undertaken professionally till now?
I operate Barren Sound as a production house. As an enterprise, we have delivered several projects successfully to national and international clients. As an artist and producer, I am leading the band Nivid. The two are different in essence. Barren Sound is a 'solution based audio design company' with a majority of clients from the Gaming and VR Media sector. Documentary and advertising production also.  Recently Barren Sound has opened up to professional audio-mastering solutions for electronic music artists. As a band, Nivid has created a series of experience based concerts across India. The band works as a team when composing and playing live. As a frontman, I feel the need to keep Nivid on the alternative and edgy side! Between the two realms (production house and band) we have notched about 50 successful projects! My role changes depending on what the specifics and needs are. Sometimes I would be working as producer, composer and mix-engineer all together. Sometimes I am working as a sound-designer with film and visual media. Check out Barren Sound's complete audio resume here!

Future plans? New pathways for Nivid and Barren Sound?
As of now, I am restructuring Barren Sound by hiring a permanent team. With that on-going development, I am also working on new ways to diversify Nivid and it's image. As mentioned before via Barren Sound I have ventured into new territories and vocations. Now we are trying to get our hands into the sectors of education and talent formation. As of now, the idea is to build a new artist residency with core focus on ecology, artist autonomy, and music production. A place which can create future pathways for Indian artists, at a price which is inclusive and affordable. An experience which is meaningful. I see this as an extension of my current roles as a musician and curator - to motivate new musicians to sustain themselves in this ever-changing scenario and being conscious about their impact on the planet and the environment. To diversify as a person and as an artist, for me is a must!