In the realm of music, a captivating voice can transcend boundaries, and the power of melody has the ability to touch hearts and ignite passions. Young music artists have made significant strides in their respective genres. Their stories of discovery, artistic growth, and the challenges they face provides a glimpse into the dynamic world of music.
Keegan Fernandes is a resident of Margao who goes by the stage name ‘Yungk4teen’. A student of Presentation Convent Higher Secondary School, Margao, he recently completed his Class 12 in Arts. He began singing when he was in Class 6 and he slowly built an interest towards music through a friend. “I was curious about how music is made. I went on to learn FL Studio 20, a digital audio workstation (DAW) used for production. I produced music for a while and started recording and mixing my vocals,” he explains. He usually records at home using a PreSonus audio interface and a Focusrite mic or at a GTC (Guild of Television Camera Professionals) studio.
Keegan has been inspired by many rappers like, Lil Mosey and late rapper Juice WRLD from America and Indian rapper Tsumyoki from Goa. “I have learnt a lot from Tsumyoki, namely his work ethic. He has guided me towards improving and enhancing my sound,” says Keegan. He usually writes a song within a few hours and starts working on the flows, trying to get the best take. He draws inspiration from various incidents, life experiences and what the emotions he is going through.
He explains the story behind his latest album ‘I’m Obsessed’, “In collaboration with Bevvibez, the song about love will take your breath away. This powerful and moving tune is a testament to the intense feelings that love can evoke, whether you’re in a relationship or seeking one, this song is sure to inspire you to be your best self and to embrace the power of love, despite your fears and insecurities.”
A SYBA student at St Xavier’s College, Mapusa, Bevan Rodrigues, popularly known as ‘Bevvibez’ from Salcete, says that American music producer, Marshmello’s music video ‘Alone’ sparked an interest in him to get into music. Bevan uses a laptop, headphones, studio monitors and a MIDI keyboard to produce music. “My biggest influences are late America rapper Juice WRLD and his music producer Nick Mira. They make a great melodic emotional trap music which really influenced my style,” he mentions. He starts off by making an instrumental beat and then sends it to his artist friends like Yungk4teen, Elttwo, Nevgenix. If they like the beat they would record their vocals and send it back to him after which he would do the production and make it into a complete song.
Bevan released his latest single ‘Summer’ in May 2023. “It was done in collaboration with Ash Andrade, a singer and song writer and was made to capture the summer vibe by giving a sense of nostalgia, warmth and love,” he describes. He also faces challenges as a young music producer. “No one really understands what I do, so it’s difficult to be taken seriously even by my family and friends. I overcome it by working hard in what I believe in and achieving success. Eventually, I prove myself to them,” says Bevan.
Currently, doing his MBA in Goa University, Taleigao, Elton D’Souza also known as ‘Elttwo’, used to sing cover songs. About four years ago, this Porvorim resident heard about Tsumyoki and also saw a friend’s post about his music. He says, “I saw Tsumyoki making music, and later on became friends. I was always surprised hearing his music. It was English music that belonged on a worldwide scale, so I thought if he can do it so why can’t I. I had enough free time during the pandemic, where I applied everything I learnt,” explains Elton.
The first equipment he used was on a laptop from the Laptop Scheme, making his first beat and song on it. He recorded the vocals at Tsumyoki’s place as he did not have a microphone. Later, Tsumyoki gifted him a microphone. He then upgraded to a PC, which he received through his music, and also uses a guitar while writing songs. Elton makes his music according to who he listens to. “When I first started making music, I used to listen to a lot of Juice WRLD, a melodic rapper who shaped my music. I also listen to Iann Dior, and am currently moving towards pop, namely Charlie Puth and away from trap,” says Elton.
He works with YouTube free beats or with someone producing a beat for him, like Tsumyoki. The moment he catches a beat, he hums melodies and records them into WhatsApp or voice notes. With the melodies in check, he puts down words that he feels matches. He says it’s all about the vibe of what one’s listening to. Speaking about his latest project, he explains, “It is a CD I dropped called ‘Daytrips & Nightmares’ and it’s about the ups and downs of a relationship I had. Each song is a different aspect of the relationship, like loneliness and sadness. It’s like therapy for me and maybe for someone can relate. That’s my aim.”
Elton expresses that music equipment is not cheap. “Three years later, it’s getting a bit better. Someone has to pursue you through those first few years of not earning anything. I’ve been making music for two years and have been uploading it to Spotify and have barely broken even with the amount I’ve spent on putting those songs out. I’ve learnt how to make some master music and that’s helped me,” he says. He advises beginners to pick up a skill that can be a means to gain money. According to him, this is a tough sector to earn money in the beginning.
Bernice Mendes, a SYBA student of St Xavier’s College, Mapusa, works with her brother, Brandon, a producer, belonging to the group called ‘Merak.’ The equipment they have set up is by winning competitions and saving up as well as sponsors. Some of her favorite artists are Hosier, Lana Del Rey, Conan Gray and Taylor Swift.
For her song writing process, Bernice usually comes up with tunes on her ukulele. “I play random cords and then a tune gets stuck in my head. My younger brother plays the guitar. As he plays a random tune, I come up with words. They hardly ever make sense but it’s just the tune that catches on. Later, we record it and then write down the lyrics we want. Whenever I sing spontaneously, I usually come up with really random words but they always tend to rhyme and then I adjust those to make sense,” she explains.
The latest song that she has written is called ‘Pleasant Nonsense’ and was written for a competition, ‘The Indian Music Festival,’ in which she secured second place. The song has been released on Spotify and is about how she dreams and gets a random bunch of things that go around in her head. She feels very refreshing to wake up with these scenes in the head. It just shows how diverse dreams can be and are very fascinating to people.
For the young artists who are getting into music, she suggests, “If you want your music to have a funky beat, then don’t do it for the sake of other people or what’s trending. People should go out and promote themselves. You should do it because you are having fun and because you enjoy making music. You may get overlooked but it is amazing to do things on your own.”
