I want to help other indie artists: Kaaka Kadha singer Vaisagh

CHENNAI: It was a day of tears, smiles and finding a place in this world for his classmates. While they were preparing themselves to bid goodbye to familiar faces and the comfort of the known, he was busy wanting to give them the perfect parting gift.

26-year-old Vaisagh says, “For our school farewell I performed a song I had composed, called Meendum Va. Seeing everyone’s reaction on the stage while I was performing gave me a different sort of high. The ability to make them feel something through my work felt very personal; I knew I wanted to make music.”

In a conversation with DT Next, the Kaaka Kadha singer says, “My inclination towards music began when I was in 10th standard. I would write songs and keep them to myself. By the time I reached the 12th standard, I began participating in various events at school. Around the same time, Hip Hop Tamizha’s Vaadi Pulla Vaadi was released.

“Only then did I understand that something called indie artist existed and that I could put myself out there even without the backing of any big name. It is all about quality and people who will be ready to listen to your craft.”

After the compulsion of his parents, in 2014 Vaisagh enrolled himself in a visual communications course and realised he was getting farther and farther away from music. He dropped out of college in 2015 to pursue his passion.

“My parents were very upset with me and were scared for my career. The concept of an independent artist was new to them. My mom would ask, ‘Will it all be fine? Will you be able to do it?’. I would have to sit her down and explain it to her,” he chuckles.

In 2017, he came to Chennai from Erode to get more exposure. Vaisagh had a very tough time trying to make a name for himself and also making himself known in the scene. “By 2019, it became very mentally stressful because everyone from college settled down, landed jobs, and even started working. It made me question myself. I had seen an interview of Santhosh Narayanan, where he is talking about how you must keep doing what you love till you become a brand. Those words offered me consolation,” he recalls.

After a lot of struggle, Vaisagh and his friend, who dropped out of college to pursue music, got their break. They began working on short films and used the money from the short films to produce their music. They slowly ventured into live shows and they abruptly had to end due to Covid.

With all doors shut, he decided to take some time and understand music distribution and also learn the guitar. He began putting his music out there and began getting noticed for his work. In 2021, he performed in Coimbatore and the show reminded him of the love he had for his craft and he put more work into it.

Having everyone hooked on his latest song Kaaka Kadha, he says, “The song is actually a personal rant. I did not want it to have a sad or motivational tone, I wanted it to speak the reality of life while also being able to be aloof from it. I never imagined the kind of response the story would get. Even today I get messages of people saying how much they connected to the song and how they feel their emotions have been given words. It makes me feel really content.”

What is next for Vaisagh? He says, “I have a few projects lined up with few labels and will also continue working on my own music. I want to collaborate with other indie artists and give them the exposure they don’t have.”