Leslee Lewis says music-making has undergone massive change in 30 years
Mumbai, July 27
Music composer Leslee Lewis has explained how indie pop music was made in the 90s. The composer spoke within the Andheri West area of Mumbai.
He shared that back in the day, the labels approached music composers to make music for singers whom they wanted to promote or cast. The composer than used to make the song as per the strengths of the singers.
Talking about the same, he told IANS, "In those days, you didn't, mostly didn't take a song to the label. The label came to you saying, 'Hey, I know you compose a good song. I know you produce a song. We have this artiste. Can you produce and compose a song for this artist?'. So it came to be from the labels. We trust your musical judgment and we want this to be a commercial hit. Obviously everybody wants a commercial hit, but it should suit the artiste".
"So I think that work has been more about creating that artist into a star. Those songs first had to suit that artist. And that's probably why you've loved all the songs because those artistes sang from their heart because the songs are composed for them in their style", he added.
Meanwhile, PM Modi gave a diplomatic gift of his album 'Colonial Cousins' to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently. During his official visit to Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with a curated selection of gifts celebrating India's rich cultural legacy, artistic traditions and agricultural excellence.
Apart from the vinyl edition of the album, PM Modi also gifted an Indian Premium Coffee Box, highlighting the diversity of coffee cultivated across the country's leading coffee-growing regions. It includes carefully chosen varieties with distinctive flavour profiles shaped by variations in geography, altitude and processing techniques, such as washed, natural and honey methods. The collection represents the progress of India's coffee industry, underscoring its increasing focus on quality, sustainability and value addition.
It also honours the efforts of Indian coffee growers, processors and roasters in crafting premium coffees while encouraging environmentally responsible and sustainable cultivation practices.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone who grew up in the 90s, this really resonates. Music felt more personal then. But I also think the democratization of music tech today is incredible. Leslee is right that it's a different skill set now.
The music industry has definitely changed. But I feel like indie artists today have more freedom. Leslee's point about labels creating stars is true, but today's bedroom producers are creating their own sound. Both eras have their charm.
Leslee Lewis is a legend! Colonial Cousins was way ahead of its time. PM Modi gifting that album to Australia's PM is a nice touch – showing our soft power through music. Also, India's coffee industry getting recognition is cool. ☕
Interesting perspective from Leslee. Back then it was about the artist's strengths. Now it's about what sells. But I wonder if we're romanticizing the past too much. Every era has its hits and misses. The coffee gift sounds amazing though!
I love how Leslee explains the label-driven approach. It made artists like Alisha Chinai and Shaan into household names. But today, independent music on YouTube and Spotify is booming. Both models have their pros and cons. The coffee gift is a nice diplomatic touch!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.