Exclusive Premiere: Rahul Misra Enquiry Commission Blends Arena Rock Energy and Emotion on ‘Soul on Fire’

A part of the music circuit since 2004, New Delhi rock artist Rahul Misra even spent time establishing himself in London (where he had a job in finance) for nearly a decade until he moved back to India in 2016. Since then, his band ”“ The Rahul Misra Enquiry Commission ”“ has been a collaboration-centred effort.

Their debut album Conflict of Interest features New Delhi regulars such as guitarist-vocalist Anirudh Subramaniam, bassist Harshit Misra and drummer Aveleon Giles Vaz. The artist confirms that one of the main aims through the band is to “collaborate with musicians and visual artists to tap into different thematic explorations.”

His latest music video for “Soul on Fire,” a love song that flitters between acoustic guitar-led gentleness and arena-rock choruses, tells a story through interpretive dance. Misra says, “’Soul on Fire’ deals with perennial themes of love, conflict and resolution. Ever since I completed writing the song I was convinced of its scope for an evocative video. [”¦] A video collaboration with theatre artists, brilliant ones at that, was interesting and worked well, breaking that barrier between stage, film and music.”

Directed by Amba Suhasini Katoch Jhala (who also features in the video, alongside fellow dancer Anirudh Nair), “Soul on Fire” is an interplay between two characters. Misra explains, “There are the characters of ‘Parvana’, the Moth, and ‘Jugnu’, the Firefly. The Moth’s nature is to annihilate itself in the flame. The Firefly, however, carries the flame within, without destroying itself in it. The video explores the choice of the Moth between annihilation and lasting love and light.”

A somewhat intense visual interpretation of love, there are more plans to promote Conflict of Interest with music videos. Misra adds, “Meanwhile, the writing continues. Themes are developing in my mind for RMEC’s next EP or album.”

Watch the video for “Soul on Fire”