2022 is proving to be a rather eventful year for singer and music composer Ritviz. Not only did he have a song featuring in Ms Marvel, but he also dropped his debut full-length album Mimmi and won heaps of praises for it. And recently, he took off for his first USA tour. He kick-started the musical event on October 9 in Seattle and went on to perform live in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Somerville, Washington DC and New York.
Talking to News18 exclusively, the Udd Gaye hitmaker says, “We’ve been wanting to go and visit the States for a while. Our international tours were all pending purely because of the pandemic. Had it not happened, we would’ve done it two years ago. So, this was well due. I’m glad that this year, we could finally get around to making it happen."
For Ritviz, it was an important opportunity to bring together the Indian diaspora in the USA together and acquaint them with his music. Sharing his excitement, he remarks, “It was my first time in the States. I feel like there’s a pre and post-Ritviz and that should have been experienced by the diaspora in the States. It had a little bit of both worlds as it was attended by the people who haven’t watched me live before along with those who witnessed the new music that just came out."
But what was special about this tour was that it also gave the budding musical talents in the USA a platform to showcase their skills. Having started his career with Bacardi House Party Sessions organised by AIB and Nucleya in 2017, Ritviz says that giving opportunities to younger musicians by launching a talent hunt competition took him back to where he began his journey.
He elaborates, “I think life’s coming to a full circle. I had a lot of such moments this year. Earlier this year, we headlined the NH7 Weekender, which is home ground, because we got to play on the big Bacardi stage once again. I remember doing a 4 pm slot in Delhi at my first Weekender. This time around, I had maa on stage. It really feels a level-two of some sorts. In a way, I felt like I’m in the stage to do the same (for others) which was done for me. This has been a very humbling year."
In early September, the Sage and Liggi singer unveiled his first album Mimmi, where he collaborated with his mother for the first time. The album consists of eight songs – Aaj Na, Mehfooz, Mimmi, Chandamama, Taj, Jaana, Pukaar and Aas Paas. Quiz him about creating the album with his mother, and he says, “Writing the album was very exciting. Mom and I wrote it together. The songs are basically the conversations that I had with maa earlier this year. Initially, we didn’t realise that we would end up making an album. Every day we would have a conversation on whatever was going on and I would be putting together the melody at night. It was an organic and beautiful process. While all of this was happening, I realised a lot of things about life. And so, making this album was therapeutic in a way."
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Speaking about the response that he has been receiving for Mimmi, Ritviz says, “I’m very overwhelmed. It has been pretty epic so far."
The music video of Aaj Na starring Sheeba Chadha and Adarsh Gourav, which explores the poignant relationship between a mother and a son, has captured the attention of many. Lauding them for bringing the theme of the album alive onscreen, Ritviz states, “They’re such brilliant actors. I was truly honoured to have the coolest actors be a part of the song. I’m just really glad that the emotion was translated onscreen in the way I had put out in the song."
He adds, “Aaj Na really summarises the entire album, which is basically about a bond that you share with a person and helps you get through things. We often forget about the support that we think that we can deal with situations and forget who’s actually enabling us to deal with them. That’s why the album is an ode to my mom."
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