Seven cities, 25 years

Euphoria marks their silver jubilee with tours across India; leading man Palash Sen discusses exposing a new breed of listeners to their music that defined an era

Palash Sen doesn’t mince words when accepting that while retaining his fan base hasn’t posed a challenge, 25-year-old band Euphoria continues to find new ways to reach more listeners. “Recently we did a show where artistes like Nucleya, Raftaar, and Prateek Kuhad also performed. Let’s say a certain section of that audience came to watch Euphoria, and the rest came to watch other artistes. The fact that those other listeners also heard our music was a big boost for us. That night, we got so many followers that our streaming numbers shot up,” confesses Sen, admitting that his decision to go on an India tour with Euphoria stemmed from his desire to find a new breed of listeners who, he is certain, desire his music. 

“People want to hear our legacy unfold before them. Since we have completed 25 years, it is an excellent time to go back to give people a dose of nostalgia, and make new listeners aware of the music that made the music of this country what it is today. All kinds of music have audiences, so I am hopeful that via this concert tour, people are made aware of the fact that this kind of music also exists.” 

With Indore having been the first pit-stop of the tour that commenced on Saturday, Sen is set to take his band across seven cities in the subsequent weeks. Certain that his music will resonate with the younger breed, Sen says “individuals experience music at different times in their lives”. “When [our popular number] Mayeri released, not many people liked and supported it. But, 23 years later, it is an anthem of sorts for the country. It is the unlikeliest song to become an anthem because it is a sad song about heartbreak and separation. In our gigs, we have kids aged 15 and 16 singing the song back to us. These are defining moments for us.” 

Topping his list of suggestions for young listeners hoping to enjoy a long-lasting career is an emphasis on good-quality lyrics. “It’s cool to make dumb lyrics, but dumb lyrics are giving rise to a dumb generation. I don’t know why [makers] insist on making the lyrics dumber each day. Kids are intelligent, and are hence listening to western music instead, which is a shame. Those who are creating music with good lyrics are being heard. Also never compromise on originality. It’s easy to copy somebody else, but it’s difficult to be yourself. Choose the tougher path. Finally, don’t sell your soul to the devil. Many people will offer contracts and make promises, but they will enslave you. Today, we are re-recording all our big songs so that the rights remain with us,” he signs off.

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