July 29, 2024
KATHMANDU – The year is 2015, and the country is beset with load shedding. Two teenagers, Rochak Dahal and Pravesh Thapa Magar, are jamming together, sitting under a candle’s yellow light, placed above on the cupboard.
In five years, the number of jammers has doubled, and the jamming session has evolved into a gig session. To encapsulate the moment from 2015, a name was born ‘Pahenlo Batti Muni’.
The band is an experimental rock, progressive pop, and indie genre music band. The band members make songs based on their life experiences. “We blend music with what life has taught us,” says bassist Kush KC.
In the beginning, the band had five members: vocalist Rochak Dahal, guitarist Pravesh Thapa Magar and Bikram Bashyal, bassist Kush KC, and drummer Lav Jung Chhetri. However, Bikram Bashyal had to depart the band in October 2019 to pursue his life overseas, leaving the remaining four to continue their musical journey together.
The band released their debut music video, ‘Bari Lai’ in 2016. The song, written during vocalist Dahal’s college days, captures the essence of unreciprocated love and became a favourite among their growing fan base.
In 2019, the band released their first album, ‘Asthir’. “The album explores the emotional ups and downs that an artist faces before starting a music career,” says Dahal.
According to the band members, artists like Nirvana, Sugam Pokharel, Nabin K Bhattarai, Nima Rumba, and Sabin Rai and the Pharaoh have remained their inspiration while creating songs.
They mentioned that when creating a song or album, they draw inspiration from various artists and incorporate these influences to develop their own unique music.
According to Chhetri, “We strive to create relatable music that can inspire others while maintaining our authenticity,” Their songs often delve into personal and emotional themes, reflecting various states of mind and life experiences.
For instance, the band’s hit songs revolve around the themes of family dynamics, relationships, rebellion, individuality, displacement, and the search for belonging. Their notable songs, such as ‘Kripaya’, ‘Agyani’, and ‘Gauthali’, reflect these themes.
‘Kripaya’ explores the relationship between a father and son, whereas ‘Agyani’ is considered a rebellious track that challenges the stereotypes and societal expectations surrounding a music career.
Their songs, often taking a philosophical approach, have a poetic touch—bound by metaphors.
Vocalist Dahal reveals the inspiration behind their acclaimed song ‘Gauthali’, saying, “‘Gauthali’, meaning bird, was inspired by a bird building a nest in a grocery store below my home. Despite having grown up in that house, it never truly felt like home for me. I sympathised with the bird, which also lacked a stable home. I often pondered what home meant for that bird. As I reflected on the complexities in my mind, this song emerged.”
According to the band members, moments that have defined their band’s journey were their international tour to Australia in 2024, receiving the ‘Album of the Year’ award in 2019 by Hits FM, and their recent album release, ‘Raako Ramita’.
While discussing their new album, ‘Raako Ramita’, the band addressed complaints that their songs weren’t suitable for dancing. They took the feedback and concluded that either people lacked the skill to dance to their music or their songs needed improvement.
‘Raako Ramita’, released on June 1, features seven songs. Composed by the band itself, the album has songs in Nepali and English.
Their album captures the beauty of cherishing moments of togetherness and appreciating life’s journey without dwelling on the past. The band claims that this time, the songs have headbang-worthy anthems.
Similar to their captivating performance at the launch of their second album, the band focuses on ensuring the audience has fun during their shows. According to the band, before taking the stage, they adhere to a mantra of making the crowd jump while they perform.
“If we can’t have fun, the audience won’t either. Even if the crowd isn’t enjoying themselves, we make an effort to have fun by connecting with each other while performing,” said guitarist Magar.
The band believes perfection is hard to achieve, but there is no harm in striving for it.
Talking about song composition, Dahal says that melodies for the band’s songs come naturally to him. “It is as if the melodies are humming their way into my existence,” he says.
When asked about their target audience, the band offered a compelling answer, “Our target audience has always been the heart.” While creating music, Dahal believes in originality and staying true to one’s feelings. “We do not create music for commercial purposes. Our main goal is to express our current emotions honestly,” said Magar.
The group asserted that they would stick to their authenticity even if the audience preferred a different style. They claimed that for them, the premise for making songs is preference. “If others don’t like what we create, that’s fine because we can’t control others’ tastes. We make music based on what we like,” said the band members.
Every journey has its bumps. The band had to face a series of challenges to get where they are today. From monetary challenges to the setbacks created by the lockdown, their journey to this point has been a test of endurance.
The band said society’s mindset of labelling musicians’ careers as unstable has been another obstacle to fostering a supportive environment for the recognition of their art.
The group emphasised that they are pursuing their true passion. Unlike those who choose to go abroad, they prefer to stay and create music for themselves.
Cherishing their connection to their roots, families, and the rich cultural life of their homeland, the band members find joy and vibrancy in their local community and choose to remain in Nepal.
While international tours have always been a goal, the band’s long-term wish is simple, “Our only desire is to grow old together. Besides that, we hope our music continues to sustain us and that the audience keeps loving and supporting us on every platform possible.”