Rishabh Narayan Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

When was the last time you felt like that hamster sitting on a wheel, with glassy eyes and little paws flailing about, wishing that your repeated actions would somehow break the monotony of life? Break it? The truth is that most of us have experienced that anger and have either stubbornly climbed on that wheel or eventually jumped off that wheel, even if it shocked us.

Well, Rishabh Narayan wrote a song. Their debut single ‘Loops’ is about breaking free from the routine that limits humanity to mere survival. “One day in Mumbai, I was traveling in a local train, and suddenly I realized the huge number of people. Everyone was doing something – local business people, students, corporate types – it was extremely busy and the hustle and bustle was great. I saw all this and realized that I too was a part of that universal rat race,” says Rishabh.

The Bengaluru-based musician adds, “Somewhere deep inside I felt that I needed to take a step back and enjoy the simple things and appreciate the small things and not just get caught up in work. That’s when I sat in that train and wrote the lyrics of ‘Loops’ in about 25 minutes. It has the simplest lyrics because I wanted the song to be minimalistic. Once I came back home, I completely finished the song.

Loops | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Rishabh, who sings and plays guitar, says that ‘Loops’ was the first time he had created something completely on his own, for himself. “I’ve worked with other artists and bands, and it’s always been a collaborative effort. But with ‘Loops’ I worked on the composition and lyrics and then recorded it. This video was released in September this year.

Rishabh, currently playing with Bengaluru-based bands Long Island Iced Tea and G5, remembers the key moment when he was “inspired” by music. “I was listening to Eric Clapton’s ‘Tears in Heaven’ and it really inspired me – it inspired me to get my sister’s guitar, but when I broke some strings, I ended up building the guitar myself,” he says, laughing. “Decided to take it.” Self-taught musician.

This was in 2010, and over the next two years, after being promoted to a popular talent show, he started attending music festivals regularly and collaborating with various artists and musicians.

Now having done over 250 shows, Rishabh has three more original numbers in the pipeline which he intends to release eventually. “My next song is a little more upbeat and energetic, and although it will fall under the genre of alternative music, it also has some elements of pop and other genres. However, I wanted it to be thought-provoking – it should make people sit and think, not just listen to it a couple of times. It’s like a ballad and involves imagining lyrically.”

Rishabh Narayan Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Looks like Rishabh has found a way to be free. “I think we can all manage our lives better. I personally believe that to live a fulfilling life we ​​should pursue work, passion and health. If you are healthy you have the energy to do your work. And to keep work from becoming monotonous, we need another passion to keep us fulfilled. I want this for everyone,” says the musician who also runs marathons.

‘Loops’ is available on all streaming platforms