Dhruv Trikannad: The New Blues Kid on the Block

Over the years, Shillong blues band Soulmate’s guitarist-vocalist Rudy Wallang and Mumbai musician Ehsaan Noorani have definitely done their bit to promote the blues across the country. Through their music, they’ve also encouraged young artists to begin playing the 12-bar. One such artist who counts Wallang and Noorani as inspirations is Pune-based multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Dhruv Trikannad. “They’ve given me the inspiration to write blues music,” he says.  

The singer-songwriter initially began learning piano before he picked up the drums and also explored the guitar. “I realized that blues guitar is what interests me the most. Improvising solos and telling stories through the guitar helps me express myself the best,” he says. Last month, Trikannad released his debut two-track EP entitled Gelastiko. 

The record opens with the slow blues number “Beautiful Pain” which includes slide guitar parts, harmonica melodies by Hrishikesh Joshi as well as Trikannad’s soothing vocals. Talking about the song, he says, “It’s about a condition called laughing seizures [also called gelastic seizures], something I go through occasionally and has been a major part of my life because of a medical condition, and I’ve written most of my songs at the peak of my gelastic seizures.” He adds, “Hence I called my EP Gelastiko, meaning laughter.”  

Track two, on the other hand, is the jazz-pop offering “Dil Maane Na” which the singer-songwriter wrote along with fellow artist Aditya Jadhav.  

Trikannad recorded Gelastiko at Pune’s Gray Spark Audio and at Dawn Studios. With more songs to follow the EP, the young musician says, “I hope to share my experiences, spread love and have fun with my audiences through the blues and my guitar!” 

Stream ‘Gelastiko’ On Spotify below and on other platforms.