New Delhi Singer-Songwriter Sheil Sagar Debuts with Shimmering Acoustic Track ‘If I Tried’

While growing up, New Delhi artist Sheil Sagar picked up both piano and saxophone as a kid. By the time he stepped into college, he began playing shows and grew even more comfortable as a musician. He says, “It was only over the past year that I started exploring singing and songwriting.” Now, Sagar is out with his debut single, the stripped-down acoustic offering “If I Tried.”

Sagar started work on the new track last September and faced plenty of hurdles due to the pandemic. However, he was able to come out to the other side with a stellar ballad. According to the artist, “If I Tried” is an ode to the idea that there is only one person in the world for everyone. He says, “Some people are unfortunate enough to have experienced the end of a relationship that rocks them to their very core, setting up insecurities for others yet to come.” The singer-songwriter adds, “The vast distance between what is and what could be adds to this internal conflict. This song dwells in the amalgamation of confusion, fear, desire and hope.”

The track includes plaintive piano work, poignant acoustic guitar strumming from Manikaant Suryan, a tender low end from bassist Ahan Arora, gentle backing vocals by Sana Arora, cinematic violin parts from Nick Montopoli as well as Sagar’s timbre voice. “I wanted the arrangement to be acoustic and very stripped-down, almost as if the song had been recorded in a live setting,” says Sagar. The singer-songwriter co-produced the song with electronic artist Corridors and prog metal band Colossal Figures’ drummer Rijul Victor and recorded it at New Delhi’s Powerhouse Studios. Victor also mixed and mastered the track.

Next, Sagar has a single titled “Still” that is slated to release next month via Ahmedabad’s Compass Box Studio as part of their singer-songwriter competition he won last year. The musician is also readying one more single for later this year as well as a five-track EP.

Watch the lyric video for “If I Tried” below and stream the song on other platforms.