Along with her musically talented family, Subani Moktan has been on the music scene for a good decade now. Moktan may only be 26 years old but considering the number of hits, awards and shows, we could very well consider her a veteran in the industry. And the thing is she has more to offer. Currently, Moktan is striding along solo on the musical path and she revealed she is working towards a goal.
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Priyanka Gurung caught up with the singer to know more.
When you are performing on your own, you tend to become the entire audience's sole focus. That can be unnerving at times. In some instances, even taking a breath to turn the page of the music sheet can feel awkward. So I prefer performing with a band. You can vibe with them and create this amazing energy on stage that is hard to replicate when it's just you alone.
Speaking of bands, you have fronted 1974 A.D. How did that come about? And how was the experience?
Adrian was going abroad at the moment and he would have been away for almost a year. At the time, I had become very well acquainted with Nirakar because of my affiliation with Kathmandu Jazz Conservatory. I had studied there and had even begun teaching at that moment. So when they approached me with the offer, it was a no brainer. I jumped at the opportunity. Come to think of it, I don't even think I was anxious about the prospect of performing with them. I just wanted to do it. And what a memorable experience that turned out to be. It was a good learning ground as well because the guys of 1974A.D, they know what they are doing. It was great getting to be a part of their decision making process, their music, and their shows.
At the moment, you have been gigging regularly around town. What do you think of the Nepali audience?
The Nepali audiences have become more open than when I first started. Even a couple years ago, there were many places where the crowd was pretty intolerant about English song choices. You would literally get heckles. You would have to return to Hindi or Nepali songs. These days, this isn't that big a problem. Where English tunes are concerned, the mainstream hits like Adele's 'Rolling in the deep' or classics like Eagles 'Love will keep us alive' are still comparatively more popular.
But I enjoy gigs. At the moment, I'm performing every day of the week at different venues in Thamel. It's for three hours and they pass by in a flash. Sometimes it can be extra entertaining as well. I don't know if I should say this but one of my favorite parts of the gigs is to watch the drunken antics. The music seems to encourage them and the stage is like a front row seat to some hilarious moments.
So along with the daily performance, are you working on anything else?
Actually the whole point of these daily shows is my ultimate goal: my own music school. The reason I'm working this hard is to make sure I can have one up and running in the near future. I'm working on the logistics at the moment. I have always enjoyed teaching and I would like to run my own music school for kids. My priority is to create a safe, stimulating and musical environment for children right here in our valley.
What about your own music then? Will you have time for new singles and albums?
That is always going to be there. I'm constantly writing and music tends to come along with it. The tricky bit is choosing the songs I would like to release. I have penned many songs for my private collection but when it comes to putting it out on the market there are many things to consider from the production to mass appeal. So it obviously takes time, however, I will be releasing new material. In fact, I'm dropping a new English number this December. We are just putting the final touches on it. It's my first official original English song so I'm excited about it. Besides releasing singles like this is a nice way to let people know that you are still on the scene.
So would you say your future is set in music?
My mother believes I should change my course. She wants me to continue dabbling in music but try out other career options as well. My sister too has decided to do the same but I don't feel like it. Not yet anyways. I still want to give music a real shot. My future plans at the moment are based on music so let's see how that goes. Otherwise, I do have a MBA as well so I feel relatively secure.
