The Goan: You've performed in Goa time and again. What do you love most about performing here?
Alisha Pais: The people here appreciate original music and are open to new styles. I love the food and the fresh air here. Something about the place makes me want to relax almost instantly.
TG: What is your take on the audience for indie music right now?
There is a big movement towards curiosity towards original music. With so many artists coming up, there is a new scene created.
TG: What are some of the major challenges while trying to make it as a musician doing original music in India?
The vast majority love covers; they like to listen to what they know. But once they experience original music a few times their appreciation for it grows. A lot of my followers know the lyrics to my songs, and I think we are breaking the mold here.
TG: Apart from performing and doing your own music, you also teach music. Could you tell us more about this?
I used to play music for little kids from 0 to 5 which was a lot of fun, and very sweet.
TG: Who are your major music influences and why?
I listen to all sorts of music. Few of my favorite artists are Laura Marling Angus and Julia Stone, Florence and the Machine, Bate for Lashes... The list goes on and on.
TG: Some of your fondest music memories so far?
There are so many fond memories made over the last decade of performing. The best ones have to be when I travel for festivals. It's nice to be in a new place and share the music with an entirely new audience.
TG: Have there been instances where you have had to work twice as hard to prove yourself owing to being a girl?
I think with anything you do you've got to work at it. Though I don't think being a girl has ever held me back. If people like the music they like the music if they don't they don't. You just got to keep doing what you love.
TG: Surely, there have been instances where you have written some lyrics and gone back to it later and wondered what were you thinking. Care to share a few examples of this?
Haha, I started writing when I was quite young so there's definitely been lots of that. But with time and more experiences to write about something nice emerges.
TG: Your elimination from singing reality show The Stage came as a surprise. What did you learn from your stint there and can we see you taking part in similar singing reality shows in the future?
It was an interesting experience. It was non stop with long days and nights of shooting, and barely any time to sit with the songs. I met some wonderful people and did all I could in that situation. I'm not a reality show sort of performer but I made the most of it. Not sure about doing it again, but no one knows what the future holds.
TG: One of your dreams is to form Mumbai's first all-girl band. Can we hope to see this soon?
I actually did have an all-girl band which formed rather organically. It was called Pais and the Petticoats. Though the band is not in action anymore we could come together and play again one day.
TG: You've been wanting to put out an album for a while. How's it coming along so far?
I have a good amount of originals written and ready to record and have now put a new band together as well. The sound keeps evolving but hopefully, soon I will hit the studio. I will be working with the new lineup to orchestrate the originals and maybe record them with the band. I'm also starting law school this year so balancing the two will be the main thing to master!
