THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

‘The Elephant in the Room’ is composer and guitarist Vinay Kaushal’s third single released on the 15th of May 2021. As with his previous singles, Vinay has worked with musicians across India and abroad to bring his vision to life. The song features well-known singer-songwriter Aditi Ramesh, Sharik Hasan – the New York-based Pianist extraordinaire, L.A.-based bassist Krishnan Swaminathan, and Pune-based Varun Venkit on drums with Vinay on guitars. As with the previous singles, this tune was mixed by Aseem. The album artwork was created by Swati Namjoshi (a.k.a. Mo).

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The Elephant in the Room is a reflection on dark times. A powerful, moody song, with lyrics written by Uma Athale, it talks about issues in our society being swept under a rug to be conveniently forgotten until there is no one left to speak up for them anymore. Inspired by various incidents where wildlife perishes when humans take over their homes, the emotions the song evokes are equally pertinent to people’s lives today. People are losing their jobs and homes, and even schools aren't safe places anymore. There is an underlying atmosphere of fear that is suppressing voices. This song is for those who are losing their homes -- whether they are made of bricks or trees.

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Conceptualised and recorded remotely during the peak lockdown in 2020, the song subtly draws from Vinay’s jazz influences. The tense, yet flowy, piano lines and earthy rhythms reminiscent of elephants set a perfect stage for the lyrics while the catchy chorus gives listeners a chance to voice their feelings. With nearly a year in the making, this song with its edgy mix and powerful outro has evolved into an honest, musical portrait of the decade we live in.

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Vinay Kaushal recently delighted audiences with rock tune ‘Reality Check’ featuring Siddharth Basrur, and pop song ‘Is It Sunny?’ featuring Shakthisree Gopalan which won praise from the likes of the Rolling Stone Magazine, The Score Magazine, Rock Street Journal, Vogue, GQ, and more.

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“This song talks about a lot of issues that are dear to me,” says Vinay. “Which made it really important to have friends and musicians who I strongly believe in as a part of the whole process. I really hope it gives listeners some food for thought and encourages them to address the elephant in the room.”

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Aditi Ramesh explains how the song was recorded, “Vinay and I were all set to perform in Turkey in 2020 when the pandemic hit and live music as a concept itself was cancelled. It was a very different experience for me to take the poignant lyrics penned by Vinay’s wife Uma along with the haunting tune put down by Vinay and try to put myself into it as I recorded the vocals in my home.

What struck me most about this song was the main guitar hook and the whimsical feel of the song’s musicality. For me, working with Vinay feels so natural, as if we’ve known each other for much longer than we have. I hope this is one of many collaborations between us.”