Shaan Kambli’s “Cosmetic Love” has a light-hearted and intoxicating feel with its vibrant melodies and effervescent vocals. It will provide you with an enjoyable experience that will leave you wanting more. We had the pleasure of interviewing Shaan Kambli, and here’s what he had to say:
Q: I loved the versatile vocal texture used in “Cosmetic Love”! Also, I think that’s an interesting title. What inspired this song?
KAMBLI: Thanks! The idea behind the song was – if someone’s important to you, reach out. Make ’em smile, just because you like seeing them happy. Let them know they’re special because the best thing you can be for someone is a reason for them to feel better about themselves. Cosmetic Love is about being passionate in love, and free of its anxieties.
Q: I see that you also wrote and produced this song. What did you enjoy most about making it?
KAMBLI: A little backstory for this one – I start my composition process with a realisation of the entire arrangement (guitar, bass, vocal, and synth) using only digital pianos. As you can imagine, this can get cacophonic pretty quickly haha, but it helps me understand which parts I’m to iron out. The most enjoyable part is then bringing in the instruments to play the individual parts, once the composition is finalised. Later, I’d improvise a few lead lines on guitar and vocal harmonies, which is also always fun.
Q: Was there a pivotal moment in your life that set you on your path as a musician?
KAMBLI: Recording my first EP was the most eye-opening experience of my life. Composition felt like it had no ceiling, I never felt that way about another subject before. On the other hand, my parents are convinced what did it for me was an old Mark Knopfler CD that they used to play for me in the car when I was 6 haha.
Q: What do you wish someone had told you before you decided to embark on this journey as a musician?
KAMBLI: “You do you.” There’s just so much advice pointing you in so many different directions when you’re starting out. It’s easy to get lost in the noise. But I strongly believe that passionate people always have a clear direction. The trick is to trust yourself, which may mean swimming against the tide every once in a while. It’s okay to be afraid and to dive in anyways.
Q: If you could change anything about the industry, what would you change?
KAMBLI: That’s a thoughtful question. I often see streaming services being bashed but in my opinion, they’re just another way for upcoming artists to reach new audiences. It’s true that the giants may be saturated but there are many upcoming platforms (e.g. Palco MP3) that have demonstrated their ability to promote new artists effectively and organically. I would hope these channels keep growing their followings (listeners and artists) to eventually level the digital playing field.
Q: What projects are you currently working on?
KAMBLI: Currently a project called Daisy Come Home. It’s an alternative dance-pop track with some rich melodic content. But the project really comes alive in its supporting media. For the music video, I broke sheets of clear plastic into shards and hung them from an old disco ball motor. The video was then shot through this rotating, glass-like installation. The artwork features a morbidly skinny creature I made using aluminium foil. The song is a dark take on a destructive dependency.
Interviewed by Zoey King
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