In September, American producer and DJ Diplo and Danish singer/songwriter star MØ released a music video with Nepali singer-songwriter Bipul Chettri and rapper Laure. ‘Stay Open’ has already got 9.4 million views in YouTube. Now, Bipul Chettri, Laure, Diplo and others, are bringing a one-of-a-kind concert to Kathmandu on 17 November. Nepali Times spoke with Bipul Chhetri about his arrival in Kathmandu for the concert. Excerpts:
Nepali Times: Are you happy with your musical journey so far?
Bipul Chettri: Music for me is a tool to express my thoughts and emotions. My journey has only just begun, and I am still learning and progressing. Satisfaction comes with every new song or tune, so I am quite content.
Which of your recent overseas gigs stands out for you?
I speak for most musicians when I say performing live is special, no matter where you are. But there are some venues, like the SSE Arena at Wembley, which are on bucket lists for artists. Especially since most of the people who have played at such venues are icons one has grown up listening to, and have been huge influences in shaping our musical expressions.
The Nepali audience is fragmented, yet your music seems to appeal to everyone. What is the secret?
I cannot fathom what the secret is but if I can guess: it has to be the feeling of home that the diaspora audience misses. The music may help them escape the foreignness, even if for a brief moment.
How did the Stay Open collaboration with Laure, Diplo and MØ happen?
The song was already composed by Diplo and sung by MØ. Tuborg provided a set of guidelines to follow in terms of space and lyrics to add Nepali perspective to the tune without actually taking away from the melody and theme of the song. We accepted the project so that we could understand and experience how international artists worked. It was a great learning experience for all of us.
