Political experience and the Word Leader
My experience with the startup world came about with a startup political party, AAP. Being a startup political party, the responsibilities were not given but taken by people. This was the first work I did which catered to everyone, from streets to bungalows, across communities and classes. I left the party after working for a year as one volunteers for an idea and not for a person. The volunteer based organisation is where the idea is important, it binds us all together, once it becomes about the person, it turns into a fandom where work takes the back-seat and it all becomes about power distribution through proximity from the leader. I used to think a lot about the word ‘leader’ during my active political days as I used to come across this word a lot of times from all corners. To me, Leader is a person who moves towards an idea, as he moves towards an idea, the idea starts becoming visible to the people through him/her, People inclined towards the idea, start moving towards the idea or the leader, and it is perceived that leader is leading masses to a place of his/her choice.
Zubaan
Zubaan, was founded by me and my colleague Neha Arora. Neha has been a very mature colleague and has been been able to keep our decisions centered. In context to the music industry, fame and name are two aspects which exist, which needs maturity to be handled well. Even in the band, artists with whom we collaborate should feel comfortable with the equations of everyone in the band, which happens when one is honest with their feelings. Relationships, is what it comes down to, what is the idea towards which we all move. The idea which makes us meet, make new relationships, the idea which keeps Us together, strengthen our relationships. The ideas that are different can either make the team diverse or can divide the team, depending on how people in the team take it. The team is also a relationship between all of us, how we all move together, and what our equations are. Diversity which arises from independent thought adds richness to the team. There is one equation of the team, which I am constantly thinking about- the role of a founder. I think role of a founder at times is imposed on the team a tad bit too much. We all are agents of the idea, towards which we are moving, and to some extent everyone relays each ones effort towards the idea. For example, when its inappropriate to say team was made by the founder. The team formation may have started from the founder, but the team is made by us all, and it changes as people in the team change. Team is a relationship between the members of the group and it will change as more people come into the team or if they leave the team. Since the idea forms the team, whatever route seems better for the idea, should be taken by the team. The role of a founder should not weigh over the idea which created the team. This way the team and band equation seems good.
Collaboration as the way forward
Every indie artist is a local artist in India, similarly there are many communities where people live in their own local spaces and do not get to meet or interact with people from different localities. A city is a ‘locality’. For example: I live in Mumbai, Delhi is closer than Latur for me. I keep going to Delhi, but have not been able to go to Latur yet. The music industry in India doesn’t exist, or if it exists it is scattered and isolated in its own space. For this indie music industry to become a one whole music industry it is to be consolidated. Collaborations of artists across these local music industries needs to take place. An artist’s artwork is a reflection of the world and locality he/she lives in. When artists across industries and communities collaborate, a cultural cohesion happens, intermingling takes place and when the concerts of such collaborations take place, the socio cultural cohesion happens on ground amongst the audience as well. This process is being done throughout the country so that Indie music scene can be developed.
Collaboration mind tuning and skill tuning
I have met a lot of great artists living in Mumbai but we have not able to resonate with ideas and vision which couldn’t make the collaboration possible. Mind tuning for me is a basic necessity; skill tuning comes later into picture. How well do we match in our skills. Skills can be picked up and learnt in a like minded environment, but mind tuning usually takes time in the current times.
Author Information:
Kavish Seth “An Artist, Linguist, Singer/Songwriter, Inventor of an instrument Noori and Founder of the band Zubaan. He is a post graduate in Chemistry from IIT Bombay.”
