British singer-songwriter Navin Kundra has been quietly using his music to heal and entertain people globally and he continues to do so even in the pandemic. Speaking to Asian Voice Navin said, “Before the pandemic struck, I would go into care homes and perform. It was something I did out of charity and I found it very rewarding.” However, after the lockdown happened in the UK, he decided to go online and perform for everyone on his show, Saturday Night Live.
Kundra told us that he has also merged with the NHS at the moment now for a campaign. He said that he is working with BAPIO, where he’s trying to spread the magic and healing power of music to as many people as possible.
Elaborating his experience of performing at care homes, he said, “There’s a misconception that people in care homes like a specific kind of music.” During the lockdown Navin’s method of preparation and research has evolved thanks to one on one engagement with fans during live performances via digital. “It has turned me from being a passive artist to being a lot more connected with my audience,” Kundra said. In the past, Navin Kundra has performed for Narendra Modi in front of an audience of 60,000 people at Wembley stadium.
Unfortunately Kundra recently lost his grandfather. Sharing the beauty of his relationship with his granddad, he said, “My time with my grandfather was all just fun, music. He was also into music and art. He made a bold move from India to the UK for a better life. For all the things that I now do, performing for the Royal Family, or Saturday Night Live, none of that would have happened had he not made that move.”
He also shared that because we are so far from India, our connection to our roots back home is really through our grandparents. “I believe it’s important to keep relationships strong with your roots. Indian families are complicated. But love is not complicated. My first show this year was dedicated to my grandfather. Grief just taught me a bit off guard during that performance. The number of messages he received from the audience was like they were giving me a hug,” he added as he also stated that one cannot open up social media these days without seeing someone has passed away.
However, many youngsters today are not close to their grandparents. Commenting on that, Kundra said, “It can be corrected by increasing proximity and communication. That’s why the care homes were important to me. Sometimes I would think that these people have lived their entire lives, have great wisdom, there must be something to learn and talk about . You ask a few questions, that’s all they want. There’s nothing more to do. They have done everything that we are about to do. It's so easy to get annoyed or angry or quiet because something was said either yesterday or today or 20 years ago, but at the end it’s not worth ruining relationships. It could be so much more magical.”
He signed off by quoting Kahlil Gibran, “Between what is said and not meant, and what is meant and not said, most of love is lost.”
