Times of Youth: For those who don’t know about you, can you tell us a little about yourself?
Raghav Sachar: The one statement that can define me is “Music Is In My DNA”. I have been into music since I remember. I play multiple instruments, compose, direct, act, edit and do many more things. I love adding new talents to my kitty.
Times of Youth: We know that you’ve been playing musical instruments since the age of 4, which is truly amazing! Could you enumerate all the instruments that you can play? Which is your most favorite one?
Raghav Sachar: I play various woodwind, percussion sing and key instruments. My favourite is the Soprano Saxophone. The list of instruments can be found on my official website.
Times of Youth: Another awesome thing we know about you is that you compose, arrange the music, program the arrangement, record live instruments, sing and finally mix and complete the whole song on your own, in your own home studio. How do you manage to be so much all at the same time?
Raghav Sachar: I love to multi task and that’s my biggest strength. I love playing different roles like composer, engineer, recordist, instrumentalist, lyricist etc. That way I can access and visualize the song in various dimensions. It is challenging but fun for me.
Times of Youth: You say that in childhood, your father nick named you “Orchestra (One Man Band)” and today that you’re living up to it, what does he have to say now?
Raghav Sachar: He loves the fact that I have stuck to my guns and my focus since childhood has been music which I have followed. He is very proud of me and appreciates my hard work and diversification into different related fields.
Times of Youth: At Monash University, Australia where you studied music for 3 years, you became the only honored expatriate in the music department to have ever been awarded an Inaugural Scholarship. How did that make you feel and how did it help you overall?
Raghav Sachar: The university offered my an inaugural scholarship because of my grades and enthusiasm to take on many more things and courses which were not even a part of my semesters. They applauded me for being multi faceted and gave me the scholarship which resolved after my graduation. It was one off thing I guess. I had traveled with Monash to various parts of the world promoting the university. The scholarship really helps us financially at the time. My parents were very happy and proud of me.
Times of Youth: As a member of the rock band – “Canzona” with which you traveled and learnt so much, could you describe for us the most unforgettable moment/experience?
Raghav Sachar: Many unforgettable moments, but the one that sticks out was the best band and best keyboardist award that I got at B.I.T.S. Pilani. It was a fantastic moment for me because I was in school at the time and competing with college students.
Times of Youth: Your debut album “For The First Time” has already received much critical acclaim and its compositions are lauded by many. How was your entire experience and what does that make you feel?
Raghav Sachar: “For The First Time” will always be a very special album for me because it was just “ME”. I was not corrupted by “Bollywood” till then and did music that pleased my soul. I will never be able to create music like that because now when I compose, I have to keep various things in mind like Commercial success, directors and producers inputs etc. etc. The first album is always unadulterated and innocent I feel.
Times of Youth: Did you ever expect, when you started out at first, that you’d get this far?
Raghav Sachar: I expected to get much further. But all in due time I guess. Dreams and visions are many, but things happen when they happen and a lot depends on luck and destiny and not only on talent.
Times of Youth: What do you believe are your key strengths as a live performer?
Raghav Sachar: Key strengths- Stage presence, ability to play multiple instruments, ability to engage the audience, multitask with instruments and modulate my voice to fit different genres etc.
Times of Youth: On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate yourself as an artist?
Raghav Sachar: I would rate myself a full 10 because I consider myself as a unique package with all necessary ingredients to be able to carry myself well and perform to the best of my ability.
Times of Youth: Tell us about your future projects that we should watch out for.
Raghav Sachar: I have 2 companies, Raghav Sachar Music and Raghav Sachar Productions. I keep doing music videos which are very interesting by their concepts. I have lots of films coming up in the near future, so watch out for those songs.
Times of Youth: With all your know-how of the Indian and Western music, you call yourself “World Musician”. Tell us how you manage to uphold this “Cultural Amalgamation”.
Raghav Sachar: The best way I can explain this is that my education and training has been in western music with western instruments, but my soul has always been in Indian classical and Bollywood music. I feel that its a perfect blend to achieve the kind of sound required here in India. The fusion is just right as far as my up bringing is concerned as well as my music training. I create music using instruments from different parts of the world, hence the ‘World Musician’ title.
Times of Youth: Can you describe a time when your work was criticized? What was your first reaction and how did you cope?
Raghav Sachar: You can never please everyone, that’s the ground rule for everything. Some might love you and some might hate. If the ratio of the loving ones is more than the hating ones, then you are home. I don’t pay too much heed to critics because it is very easy to sit back and criticize, but extremely difficult to attempt creating songs, or playing instruments, etc. So criticism has never bothered me and never will.
Times of Youth: Tell us one incident that you experienced as an artist which changed your entire life/perspective.
Raghav Sachar: Many small incidents have occurred but my life changing decisions have been two-
- Going to Australia to study music, and
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When I decided to move to Mumbai to make something of myself.
If either of these decisions were different, then my life would be much different, for better or for worse.
Times of Youth: Do tell us how fans and followers can contact you to share their appreciation/feedback/suggestions.
Raghav Sachar: Website: www.raghavsachar.com
Email: raghav@raghavsachar.com
Facebook: @raghavsachar
Twitter: @raghavsachar
Instagram: @raghavsachar
Youtube: @raghavsachar
