Chennai’s love for music is exceptional: Masala Coffee

Founded in 2014 by musician Varun Sunil, Masala Coffee has managed to achieve what very bands do — composing music for films within a couple of years of inception. With movies like Solo (Malayalam), Uriyadi (Tamil), Mundina Nildana (Kannada) and soon-to-be-released Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithaal (Tamil) to their credit, the music group has won loyal fans across languages.

Music, for the band, goes beyond the boundaries of the language, says Varun. “We are currently working on our first album, which will be multi-lingual. The album will have two songs in English, four in Hindi, one each in Punjabi, Tamil and Malayalam. We have two new singers in our group, who can sing in Malayalam, Tamil, English, Hindi and even Arabic. So, we wanted to put out our music in as many languages as possible. As a band, we don’t believe in language, as we think music goes beyond it. Music in itself is a language,” asserts Varun in a conversation with DT Next.

Over the past six years, the group has popularised folk music not just in the country, but also globally, notes Varun. “We have been performing even in countries abroad, including in Singapore, Malaysia, the UAE, Qatar, and also in Europe, where the fusion of folk and rock sounds which we are known for, is quite appreciated. Folk has always been an element of each of the songs that we have worked on. We found that the mix of folk and rock creates a unique fusion that people love,” says the percussionist and vocalist, ahead of the group’s performance in Chennai.

The band’s current line-up includes Varun, Crishna (vocalist), Aslam (vocalist), Preeth (guitarist), David (guitarist), Paul (bass guitar), Steve Kottoor (keyboard), Krishnaraj (violin) and Dayasankar (drums). “Our upcoming performance in Chennai will be our second one in the city after the new line-up was announced. Chennai has always had a brilliant music scene. We have performed over the years at various venues, including malls, college fests and public spaces — the city’s love for music is exceptional. I still remember a 60-year-old lady dancing away at one of our previous concerts. So, we’re glad that our music is being loved by the young and the old equally,” he adds. Catch Masala Coffee’s live performance in the city at Forum Vijaya Mall on February 15 at 7 pm.