Xperience Sessions With Manta Sidhu
RJ Melbin from Indigomusic.com caught up with indie artist Manta Sidhu from the Manta Sidhu Ensemble which is a New-Delhi based Vocal Harmony Group. It formed as a result of a collaboration between various talented musicians, to perform songs composed by singer-songwriter Manta Sidhu.
The Ensemble’s work stands out for its unique sound and distinct taste, with easy-listening music, sumptuous vocal arrangements, and hooks to keep you humming. Listeners and audiences are drawn to the music because of its profound lyrical appeal and musical depth. The Ensemble’s style is unquestionably the very first of its sort in the Indian independent music scene. In May 2017, the Ensemble released its self-titled Debut EP, which was followed by the full-length album ‘Light.’
The Ensemble’s soulful music, is a soothing melodious break from the conventional five-piece band sound (vocal, keys, drums, bass, and guitar), not that the latter is bad.When Manta Sidhu, the band’s namesake and founder, began putting the group together, the sound was her top goal.
“The first thing you think about is the kind of sound you want to give the song, which is when you try to figure the instrumentation and arrangement, and then the band members follow through. I was very particular about this being a band wherein the singers act as the main instrument as opposed to a piano or the guitar,” says Sidhu.
She was on the lookout for vocalists who knew how to sing in harmony and liked her style of music, when she encountered Jazmine and Sherry Matthews, who were the perfect combination of a male and female voice. She hired Reuben Narain on drums for the rhythm section, which is the foundation of a song. “He has been involved in songwriting process from the very beginning and is a music theory graduate, so whenever I would write a song, he would always give me feedback.”
RJ Melbin struck up a conversation with Indie artist, Manta Sidhu about the new song ‘Memories’ and her musical journey. Check out the video below.
—Silviya.Y
