Everything You Need To Know About #GreenRoom Audio Series on Mentza

Determined to provide crisp conversations to anyone who wishes to learn something new every day- live audio app, Mentza in collaboration with Rolling Stone India conceptualized Green Room- a weekly segment, catering to the musical sensibilities of the Indian audience. 

In its debut month, Green Room hosted an array of homegrown artists such as iconic rock band Parikrama, Euphoria’s frontrunner, Palash Sen to celebrated musician Shubha Mudgal and folk-rock giants Swarathma. With each 20-minute conversation, the audio series managed to curate a close-knit community of listeners who wish to unwind on a Monday evening listening to their favorite artists.

The segment kicked off with Euphoria’s frontrunner, Palash Sen. Pioneering the Indian pop movement in the mid-Nineties, Sen kept the conversation candid, sharing his decade-rich experiences and learnings with the listeners. As the conversation unfolded, Sen took a bold step towards defining the creative industry, “The talent is there, voices are there and intelligence is there. People are just bubbling to come out t get heard. All creative minds will have to make a choice- what is really important? Is commercialism more important or is making the country proud with its art and culture.”

Creating a memorable ‘Mentza moment,’ Sen spilled the beans on the future of Euphoria, announcing the band’s plans on releasing a new album. Sale, Euphoria’s latest album sees the group testing new waters; “With the new album, I am trying to bring dark humor and sarcasm.” revealed Sen, “A lot of times, creative people have used sarcasm and comedy to get the message to the people.”

Keeping the momentum alive, Indian rock band, Parikrama graced the second episode of the Green Room. Dedicated fans of the band and fellow rock enthusiasts stayed glued to their phones for 20-minutes as the brothers reflected on Parikrama’s influence on the Indian rock scene. 

Frontrunners for all things rock and spirited, the nine-member band was formed on June 17 1991 in heart of India’s capital–Delhi. Best known for their zestful live performances, Parikrama is one of the few acts that prioritize their live shows over everything else. For them, no streaming numbers or album sales come close to the near-deafening roars from their fans. 

During the segment Parikrama’s organist and synthesizer Subir Malik revealed what prompted the band to shift their gears and focus on live performances; “We did this survey in 1994 or 1995, that 3-4% of the people in our country speak English–and we realized the audience is very limited.” Letting the idea of forgoing physical CD sales brew for a while, the band eventually chose to give out their music for free. 

Brimming with their signature zany energy and quirks, Karnataka-based Indie-fusion Swarathma dissolved the standard Monday stress amongst the tuned-in listeners on the third episode. Channeling their artistry through the mixed voices of hope and despair that engulfed us during the pandemic, Swarathma worked on the reflective track “Mushkil Mein Jeena.”

Performing a stripped-down version of the track instantly became ‘the’ Mentza moment of the night. Though the track was performed virtually, the sheer genuineness of the lyricism stirred just the right amount of reassurance and optimism. 

Joining next was veteran Hindustani classical musician and arts educator, Shubha Mudgal. Reflecting on her formative years and the role her parents played in shaping her mindset, Mudgal commented on the dynamism of genre-bending and its ability to help artists look at music and tradition with a different perspective; “We all have the freedom to experiment. It’s our weakness we can’t employ its benefits right.” 

Catch #GreenRoom on Mentza every Monday night at 10pm