Stitched to his roots

Manpriya Singh 

Thirty-year-old, Chandigarh-bred Arpit Gawri tried his hand pretty much at most creative processes—photography, writing, you name it. But all those chapters in life are history now and the ones that come before he found his calling in music. That is when music academy in Gurgaon happened and audio engineering in London. “Not that I wasn’t initiated into music already, I was listening to trance music in 95, mix tapes that my aunt got from the US and of course the electronic music,” shares the young music composer who’s back to the hometown to be with his family and entertain the audience for New Year’s Eve.  

Having opened for San Holo and Droeloe at their debut India show, the artiste is known in the industry by the name 32 Stitches, and as much for his single Fallout (which is dedicated to his dog Astro), Keeper of The Realm, Remember This among others. Associated with bass and electro pop genres, it’s not easy giving into market trend and other commercially viable mainstream form of music. 

“I’m very headstrong when it comes to my identity and also the market. Of course, there have been rejections and restrictions that come from people who are either going to hear your music or who are going to release your music,” adds the alumnus from St Kabir Public School, who’d rather take Indian sounds to the world than expose the Indians to the world music. 

In the process what does fit into his scheme of things are different instruments that he is learning to play, for instance Kalimba apart from trying his hand at keys and the drums. 

As for the stage name, that is literally inspired by the 32 stitches that he actually got on his body (with the last nine stitches due to an accident when he had glass on his hand), this apart from nine tattoos and together they just symbolize the personal journey. Coming up is a track Heroes, dedicated to his parents, for which even the video is in the making. 

“It should be out sometime in February.” Meanwhile, he is still open to other creative pursuits, like recently asking a friend in Mumbai to teach him to paint. “But my focus is only music,” he signs off.  

manpriya@tribunemail.com 

To perform on 31st at Hotel Flemingo, Zirakpur.