I have always believed that being an artist is no small feat. Not just because of the unconventional path they dare to take and the necessity to have the creativity juices running all the time, but also because of how vulnerable they become. Displaying the emotions that one might go through requires a lot of courage, but Guhwati-based artist Vibha Choraria has done it flawlessly. Offering a layered narrative of her daily journey, employing a diverse range of musical styles, her EP ‘Chaubees’ takes you through a typical day in her life, reflecting both her conscious and subconscious mind.
The Assam-based producer/singer-songwriter grew up with Hindustani classical music and later joined the well-known KM Music Conservatory in Chennai where she was exposed to the world of music production and western classical performance. It was here that the artist found her niche of storytelling through compositions. In ‘Chaubees,’ she conveys a range of emotions and reflections throughout her experience of the 2 hours in a day.
The first track ‘Kya Pataa’ begins her morning where she likes to create the serene, meditative atmosphere depicted by the chirping of birds, tanpura, and some ‘om’ chanting. As the day progresses, so does the melody, with intensifying arrangements and some percussion gets added through tabla. Along with some soulful melodies, Vibha also sings phrases like ‘Piya’ and ‘Raatein Adhuri Si,’ meaning ‘incomplete nights.’
The second track ‘Chaos’ vividly portrays the chaotic nature of college life. In this track, konnakol bols becomes the medium she uses to paint her thoughts. Using synths and drums, she walks us through a typical day in her college with faint murmurs. She finally ends the song with a melancholic undertone to shed light on the feelings of inadequacy she goes through.
What’s, perhaps another thing that’s unique about the EP is how it is presented visually. ‘Chaubees’ just has one music video with all the tracks in it being played continuously. It begins with the artist waking up, playing in the swing, doing yoga, reading a book while drinking her tea, and the song ‘Kya Pataa’ being played in the background until she leaves for her class, which is when ‘Chaos’ starts. After classes, she comes back to her house where visuals of her being lost in thought and shots of a young daughter and father playing keep rolling. This is when the third song ‘Bada Nahi Hona Mujhe’ plays where she expresses her feelings about her father and her reluctance to grow up, fearing the loss of their bond. Beginning with a very jazzy intro with the piano, Vibha’s raw and shaky vocals perfectly convey the emotion with the vulnerability showing through. With a nice blend of saxophone melodies and Hindustani vocals, this is one of the more beautiful songs in the EP.
‘Lori,’ the last track in the EP is a nighttime lullaby that is sung in the artist’s subconscious which gently guides her to sleep. Featuring light synths and piano, the visuals have her getting ready for bed after which she turns off the lights and can then be seen playing the piano. This is a very smart move to convey that whatever happens next is led by her subconscious mind until there’s a beautiful violin melody, after which, her subconscious mind also falls asleep and all the listener is left with is plain static/silence.
The EP truly shows how music is in Vibha’s thoughts and how it’s just embedded in the language she thinks and feels in. This proves, time and again, that music is a way of expression for some, and can convey things better than words ever could.
