You said musical research. What sort of things have you learned on your trips?
I've learned where different cultural musicians come from. Like I recently went to Japan and meet some musicians there. I watched them do what they do. I was able to see a different perspective, from a different kind of upbringing because every musician is different, and culture has a lot to do with it. How you are brought up, where you live, how you live... has to do with the kind of music you put out.
I always say, music is from your soul. If you're a true musician, then it comes from your soul. And your soul is influenced by where you come from, and how you were brought up. I've been paying attention to that, seeing where they come from, as an artist.
Are you familiar with Indian Idol?
Yes. When I heard about it, I wanted to watch it because Indian music is more complex than American music -- just the technical aspect of Indian music is so complex. I was really interested to see the Indian Idols, the people who are chosen to be the top of India. To be able to witness that is an honour, so yes, I definitely paid attention.
Did you have a lot of Indian music as an influence when you were younger?
Yes. My parents are Hindu, so I would go to the temple and sing their temple songs. When we went on road trips, we'd sing them. But as far as Indian pop music [is concerned], I didn't have exposure to that.
But as I grow up, and as I've been doing musical research, I've been interested in finding out the similarities and differences between Indian and American pop music. Even in this trip, I've been watching the Indian music stations, and I've seen that there is a lot of American influence in the pop music. And like, you watch the pop singers, it's kinda funny. It's like seeing Justin Timberlake but with really colourful clothes, dancing around and singing ridiculously more little notes in between all the other notes, and so, it's really cool, to see that music is a universal language.
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