Music
Indie Rock. Sans Indie. Plus Turban.
Jaydeep Singh Bhatia & Table for Five
INTERVIEW
Indie Rock.
Sans the indie. Plus the turban.
When you think indie rock, some commonalities come to mind -- skinny jeans, low cut v-necks and ironic mustaches.
Well, one California native is adding a turban to that mix.
Meet Jaydeep Singh Bhatia, the 22 year old from the golden coast, who also happens to be the lead singer with his indie rock band, “Table for Five“. The following is a recent interview with him:
How did you get started singing for an indie band?
Well, I’ve been singing my whole life. The drummer for the band, my friend Orlando, went to high school with me. We were friends back then too, but after graduating we kind of fell off. One day, I got bored at home and posted a video of me singing John Lennon's “Imagine.” Orlando, who I hadn't spoken to a few years, happened to be looking for a singer for a new band he was forming, and saw the video. We happened to cross paths on campus and he asked if I could come by and jam with the band.
Two years later, the rest is kind of history.
In recent years, turbaned youth have been increasingly popular in the realms of hip hop and R & B. Why the absence in this particular genre of music ?
Honestly, I think it comes down to exposure. Most Punjabi kids just don't listen to indie bands. Thus, no interest is ever generated in it. You have to plant the seeds to watch the fruit grow.
Have you ever faced problems over your turban while performing? Heckling or name-calling?
Never, actually. We’ve played a few dozen shows and never once has anyone said anything. One time, a guy yelled “POONJABI” really loud. I took it as a compliment. The great thing about being in the local music scene is that the music is what makes the scene. Aesthetics don’t really matter to other musicians.
Has your family been supportive?
Super. They try and make it out to as many gigs as possible. My mom gets kind of worried I’m going to sing out my voice, though.
Describe your music.
If i could use one word, it would be ‘fresh‘. We try to keep things fresh and catchy. I don't know. It’s a style in its own. But I love it, so no complaints.
Is music a full time gig?
No, just a full time love. I work as a full time reporter for my local city newspaper. But hopefully, one day. That’s the dream.
Are there any other musicians you look up to?
Two. My brother, Amar. And Sameer Gadhia, from the “Young the Giant“. My brother is probably one of the best South Asian rappers I’ve ever heard but unfortunately mixtapes don't pay the bills, so he works for a tech company in San Fran. Sameer is the lead singer from my favorite band “Young the Giant“. He dropped out of Stanford to do music. So like, that was amazing to me.
Is there any advice you would like to give to aspiring turbaned entertainers?
I’d tell them to not feel constrained by what they perceive is cool. They should explore who they are, what they feel and the kind of music they would like to listen to. Everyone has a unique experience after listening to music. But if you never even get a chance to witness that, then that’s just something that is truly unfortunate. The universality of music is incredible. It applies to anyone. Turban or not.
If you would like to listen to music by ‘Table for Five’ or follow them on facebook, please CLICK here.
Also: https://soundcloud.com/tableforfivemusic
Jay and his brother Amar also make the occasional Youtube video as well. Check that out by CLICKING here.
August 27, 2013