In an exclusive interview with ‘The Daily Guardian’, Rohan Solomon, Singer-Songwriter & Producer talks about his latest Christmas-themed track, ‘It’s Christmas’.
Rohan Solomon, a dynamic force in Indian music, gained recognition as Cyanide’s vocalist before becoming a versatile Singer-Songwriter, Composer, Vocal Coach, and Audio Engineer. Crafting a unique sonic identity with evocative lyrics, he transcends genres as a Composer. As a dedicated Vocal Coach and Audio Engineer, Rohan contributes significantly to the diverse tapestry of Indian independent music.
Excerpts
Q. The festive season often brings about a lot of cheer. What inspired you to create a Christmas-themed music video?
A. That’s true; the festive season does bring about a lot of cheer. That mood combined with the decorations and the proximity to so many cakes and cookies just bring you in a cheerful mood and that is really what inspired me to write “It’s Christmas”. As far as the video goes, I’ve always wanted to release a nice Christmas video which really captures the vibe of Christmas and captures how it brings people together in a festive way and that’s what we’ve accomplished in this video.
Q.”It’s Christmas” has a very cozy and celebratory vibe. What were the key elements you wanted to capture in this music video?
A.Togetherness is the main element that drives the message home I would say. So for that, we needed a lot of people in a party scene. To show that we all get so caught up in our lives and get so busy living our own separate lives, but Christmas time is one of those times of the year where we all come together in celebration. Plus the decorations, the colour of the clothing and the colour of the guitar etc. were all chosen to capture that Christmassy vibe for the video.
Q.The visuals in the music video beautifully complement the song. Could you share a bit about the creative process behind the video’s concept?
A. Yes, I wanted the theme to feel very Christmassy, so we made sure that all the shots have enough red and green decorations so as to maintain that vibe. I wanted to show that people who are seemingly unrelated and living totally different lives in different industries eventually come together in celebration of Christmas (which is shown through a get-together that I host). One person is a baker, one is a dancer, one is a barista and they all receive a text from me inviting them to my party. Then we cut to the party sequence where I open the door for them and invite them in and we all enjoy being together, singing carols together, laughing, taking selfies etc. The main line from the song is “where people come together” … and that’s the main message that I wanted to be shown and communicated through my video.
Q.Festive music tends to resonate with a wide audience. What do you think makes “It’s Christmas” stand out among other holiday-themed songs?
A.Well, it maintains that classic “Rohan Solomon” sound, (I’m told) which is a pop/rock sound and in the chorus we have those lush harmonies that come through. Those are about 20 different stacked vocals of mine all sung with different textures and in different positions around the microphone to really create a “choir effect”. I would like to think that someone who follows my music but hasn’t heard this song will be able to point out that it’s my song in a playlist of Christmas music.
Q.What are your upcoming projects or new releases we can look forward to?
A. I just released my album “Strung out to Dry” in October, so of course promotions for that will continue for many more months. We have some surprises ready to go for next year with regards to the album. It’s been so well received so far, being an orchestral album which doubles up as a concept album. It’s something fun and exciting for the listeners. Especially the fact that we got to get a live orchestra in Macedonia to actually record live and send us back that Pro Tools Session is so amazing.
Another project that I’m so looking forward to is my brand new world class recording studio called ‘Synergy Audio Productions. It is a world class studio for recording, mixing, mastering, Dolby Atmos. It has class. A- State of the art analog equipment and the most modern technologies in production as well. So I’m very excited to have musicians come by and work on their music. I want to create a new hub and build a community feel and vibe for the musicians. This is your new home. Come on in!!
Q.The video seems to capture the essence of togetherness and joy. Was there a specific message or feeling you hoped your audience would take away from “It’s Christmas”?
A.Yes …!! The message is to stay happy and take comfort and be thankful for your loved ones. They are the ones that matter in the end, so don’t take them for granted, spend quality time with them and celebrate with them. Don’t forget to have some cakes and cookies along the way too….haha!!
