Gowri Bhat, A Young Woman Set To Change The World Through Music
Niharika has a passion for all things art, music, and travel and has over 4 years of experience in writing for social media. During her spare time, she likes experimenting in the kitchen, playing vide... read full bio
We live in a world of social media, and it can be one of the biggest platforms for artists to showcase their talents. Many young Gen Z artists are taking the world of social media by storm and creating their own paths. We at StyleCraze decided to catch up with one of these artists and ask them about their daily life and the changes they have faced due to the pandemic. Since many artists have stopped performing live due to social distancing restrictions, they have taken to their social media profiles to promote their art. Gowri Bhat is an aspiring singer and graduate of Manipal Institute of Technology. Here’s her story:
SC: Tell us a little bit about yourself
Gowri Bhat: Hello, my name is Gowri Bhat. I am from Bangalore, and I’m a 22-year-old singer and songwriter. I recently graduated from college, and I’m currently working as an analyst in a beverage company in the city. I’m trying to manage my career in music at the same time as my full-time job.
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SC: What was it like moving from a big city like Bangalore to a smaller town like Manipal? Do you think moving to a smaller town helped you hone your skills more?
Gowri Bhat: Definitely! I think my college curriculum wasn’t that stressful or strenuous, so that gave me a lot more time to practice my skills. There were plenty of student-run clubs and events that allowed artists to showcase their talents. It also helped me practice and work towards improving my music. There were fewer distractions and more opportunities for students to perform.
SC: So what do you like to do besides music and singing?
Gowri Bhat: I love reading, but I haven’t been as consistent with it lately, and recently, I’ve started getting more into makeup, fashion (specifically thrifting), and beauty. I’m also a massive fan of traveling, and it is a huge passion of mine. I travel every opportunity I get, and now, thanks to my job, I can travel at my own expense, which feels pretty amazing!
SC: So you’ve gained a lot of popularity via Instagram reels. What made you decide to make Instagram your main platform to showcase your music?
Gowri Bhat: Instagram gave me a major opportunity to broadcast my talent. Before reels were introduced, I used to make videos on IGTV, which were one minute long. During the lockdown, I didn’t have any other outlet for my creativity, and since Instagram is an app that’s really popular among my peers and generation, I liked using it. Once reels were introduced to Instagram, I preferred using it as the videos were only 30-60 seconds long. Since I don’t have a lot of free time, this was quite useful. So, it was quicker, and at the same time, I was still doing what I enjoyed doing.
SC: Your social media presence has increased by a lot during the pandemic. What has this pandemic been like for small artists such as yourself?
Gowri Bhat: I think Instagram has done a lot for small artists who would otherwise not be recognized the way they are now. Simply because of the fact that the internet can make you go viral. Which, in turn, invites a lot more deals and brand recognition. It also gives you access to other talented musicians and a broader audience, which would probably have taken years to build up offline.
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SC: So what’s the main difference between performing live versus performing on Instagram live?
Gowri Bhat: Obviously, the whole vibe, the crowd, people are interacting with your art, they are cheering for you, singing along with you. Instagram Live doesn’t really have the same effect. You feel like you’re talking to a screen. You might feel more confident since you are at home and people aren’t watching you, but at the same time, there’s a different feeling performing in front of people.
SC: What inspired you to start covering songs in languages that you don’t speak yourself? You often sing in Hindi and Punjabi despite not speaking either of the languages.
Gowri Bhat: I think that my voice is well suited for Indian music and most people find it easy to relate to and understand Hindi music as all of us have grown up on Bollywood. I felt like singing music in regional languages was my niche. But I like to give my own take to the music and make it my own. Although I don’t understand most of the lyrics of the songs I cover, I listen to the songs plenty of times to get the pronunciation right.
SC: Have you ever studied music professionally, and what advice do you have for other artists and singers?
Gowri Bhat: I have studied music professionally, and I’m a trained Carnatic singer. I have been training from the time I was four until I went off to college at 18. The advice I’d give to others who want to pursue music is that whichever type of music they want to pursue, be it English or Classical music; they should get their fundamentals right and ensure that they know the basics. Once those are down, you can experiment with anything. You need to also make sure that you practice daily as that’s very important. If you don’t have your basics set up, then it won’t be easy to explore yourself as a musician.
SC: So who is your biggest musical influence so far?
Gowri Bhat: I can’t really point out one as I listen to many different genres. Having said that, I think my music teacher has been my most significant influence because she has consistently pushed me to test my limits. Of course, I do have a lot of Western pop influences like Billie Eilish, and lately, I’ve been interested in Ariana Grande as she’s a wonderful singer!
SC: So, how do you feel when the original singers praise your covers?
Gowri Bhat: That’s insane! I think this is another perk of social media. Your music reaches audiences that it would have never reached normally. The feeling that the original singer acknowledges, shares, or even compliments your work is surreal. It’s like they know I exist! They know my work! I’m doing something right!
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SC: So you’ve written, sang, and released some of your own music. Pipe Dreams, and Midnight being two of your songs. What inspired you to start writing your own music and that too in English?
Gowri Bhat: So English is the language that I am most comfortable with, so it makes sense for me to write in English. I do not want to be known as just a cover artist, and I want to be known for my own music. When we were in lockdown, I had a lot of frustration and emotions that I probably wouldn’t have expressed healthily. Music gave me an outlet to write and express my feelings as I wouldn’t have felt the same way if I had just spoken to someone. Music is about creating something new. It really keeps my mind occupied and helps me feel good about myself when I create something nice. That kinda pushed me to write my own music, and currently, I’m working on some more new music to release!
SC: Do you plan on pursuing a full-time career in music, or is this just something you’re going to do on the side?
Gowri Bhat: If it ever reaches a point where music can support the lifestyle that I wish to live, then I would definitely love doing it full-time, but practically at the moment, I don’t see it being a full-time job. End of the day, it doesn’t pay my bills yet.
SC: So we see you promoting a lot of sustainable brands on Instagram. Tell us what sustainability means to you!
Gowri Bhat: I feel like as consumers, we need to be aware of what we purchase and what we consume. Many people argue that buying from a fast-fashion brand is not contributing to climate change but what people don’t realize is that every small decision counts. Giving your money to a fast-fashion brand would give them more money to continue making fast fashion products which will eventually contribute to climate change. Sustainability is important to me because I feel like I need to reduce my impact on the world around me. It’s like, have a good time but don’t make it bad for mother earth and the future generations.
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SC: What are some of the funniest and most unusual compliments you have received for your music?
Gowri Bhat: The most unusual and honestly one of the best compliments I’ve ever received is when this mom sent me a video of her 4-year-old daughter singing along to one of my reels. She spoke about how it inspired her daughter to start singing and that she won’t stop singing now! She even sent me a video. I think I will remember this for the rest of my life. It was so beautiful.
SC: Any final thoughts you’d want to leave the audience with?
Gowri Bhat: My final thoughts are that if you have a craft, talent, or anything that you are good at, don’t stop doing it. I understand that you can’t do it full time because it’s impractical but don’t just completely give up on it. It doesn’t have to be something that is your bread and butter, but it could still bring you a lot of comfort in your life.
She may just be 22-years-old, but we love her exuberant personality and incredible melodious voice. As Gowri said, if you are good at something, make time out for it and hone your skills. Do let us know if you enjoyed reading this article in the comment section below!
Interviewed by Niharika Nayak
Photography by Niharika Nayak
Reels by Gowri Bhat
