Rishabh Naidu and Krishna Praneeth | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The wait is finally over for Hyderabad-based band Vivid; its composers Rishabh Naidu and Krishna Praneeth recently released their first original ‘Kalla Kalla’ on Spotify. Meaning of ‘Kalla’ alone (Alone, in Punjabi) depicts the agony of unrequited love through Rishabh’s voice, accompanied by Praneet’s guitar chords.

An evolving vision

Cover photo of ‘Kalla Kalla’ | Photo credit: Special arrangement

Praneeth, a music teacher at Shantiniketan International School, Bachupally, who joined the band in February 2023, says that since its launch in 2016, the band has seen several line-ups. “Initially, it was a platform for amateur musicians where they would collaborate together, then move on to performing their favourite music. With the changing lineup of musicians, the vision of the band also evolved.” The duo of full-time musicians hope to broaden their horizons by doing more live shows and launching originals.

The two perform during a musical concert | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Rishabh is the lead singer, while Praneet aka Rebellion plays the bass guitar and backing vocals on stage. The duo also uses drum pedals while performing. With a tagline of ‘Be Vivid, Be Yourself’, the band’s music is full of raw energy, reflecting who they are – ‘Asli, Insaan aur Hum.’ “Own your identity and life! It’s the only journey that matters!” Their bag full of Hindi and Telugu tunes resonates with the beauty of life and embraces the various emotions that life throws at them.

on the sweeter side

Krishna Praneeth and Rishabh Naidu | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Melody is their strength, so their shows start with some slow numbers. “We focus mainly on the melody to put the audience in a relaxed mood and evoke happy emotions, but soon we enthrall them with upbeat dance numbers.” Hindi and Telugu covers of songs from films and other music bands – ‘Aasha Paasham’ Care of Kancharapalam And from ‘The crazy one is telling the truth’ To Reside in Your HeartIndian Ocean Bande, Kantha Masala Coffee and Maya The song sung by Chowrasta touched hearts in pubs in Hyderabad and a few performances in Goa and Vijayawada. The song ‘Sach Keh Raha Hai…’ is often accompanied by a fictional story. “The story touches the heart with every word,” says Rishabh, a hopeless romantic.

Explaining how the two work together, Praneet says, “We discuss how we want to shape the story, lyrics and melody of the song. Since I cannot write fluently in Hindi, I give my suggestions and Rishabh takes it forward.”

‘Kalla’ is a Punjabi song with a touch of Hindi, which contemplates the heartbreaking end of a relationship. It has received both positive and negative responses. “Listeners loved the melody and emotions of the song, but some musicians felt we could have added more flavour in terms of instrumentation.” This was due to the use of shakers (percussive musical instruments) to give a beach-like atmosphere.

Hindi and Telugu cover songs | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Writing originals has been an important part of their artistic evolution. “We thought that writing lyrics and creating music around that can make a song beautiful.” From understanding how each element works and using the tools to learning and understanding music differently, making minor changes after feedback has been a learning experience for the musicians. “This journey is exciting and we hope to make the next Original even better by applying the lessons learnt.” There are a few singles in the pipeline that revolve around themes of love, lost feelings, finding yourself to succeed and reflecting on childhood.