MUMBAI : When the Multi-genre music festival South Side Story came back to New Delhi on 31st August, it went successfully. In fact, it went so well that they are now coming back to Mumbai after seeing such an amazing response. The music festival is coming to Mumbai on 14th December.
This time, it is going to be refreshingly intimate and niche for the true lovers of South Indian music, culture, and food. Agam – The Band will headline the show and we will also get to see some strong rap forces coming in as Yung Raja, Vedan, Sooraj Santhosh, and Pal Dabba will mark their debut on the South Side Story stage.
In an exclusive interview with Tellychakkar, Paal Dabba talked about making his debut at the show, changing of scene in music and much more.
Making a debut at SSS, how do you feel about the event, something that is so unique and yet so essential for music lovers in order to know the culture better?
I feel extremely happy. I’ve heard a lot about South Side Story and have always wanted to perform there—I never thought it would actually happen! The idea of the event resonates deeply with me because my music represents our music, and it’s an honor to represent my culture in such an incredible space alongside legends. There may be many shows, but I’m particularly excited about performing at SSS. I assure you, we’re going to have a lot of fun together.
There were independent artists back in the day too, but now there’s a new wave of recognition and hype for independent artists and labels. What do you think about this shift in the music scene?
This kind of change is very special to me because I’ve seen it firsthand in the Tamil industry. Earlier, people predominantly accepted only Tamil movie music. But now, there’s a growing audience for independent artists. The crowd has willingly embraced this shift, giving rise to an entire industry of independent artists and labels that are working together to build meaningful careers. It’s an inspiring transformation.
After so much openness in the music scene, do you think language is still a limitation?
Language used to be a barrier, but now I’ve noticed that people are more open to listening to music in different languages. Personally, I don’t feel there’s a language barrier anymore, which is a great sign of progress in the music scene.
Think Indie is doing an amazing job. “Aasa Kuda” became such a rave. However, do you think the trends on social media also make the lifespan of a track short, as people repeatedly listen to it and then eventually move on?
Think Indie is doing exceptional work by providing a platform for Indie artists and helping us reach a larger audience. Social media has been a significant tool in connecting artists to wider audiences, but I personally don’t write music with the intention of creating trends. I focus on making music that makes me happy. For example, “Kaathu Mele” wasn’t created with the goal of becoming a trend—it happened organically, with the support of Think Indie and the audience’s love.
If you had a chance to collaborate with an Indian EDM artist or duo, who would it be?
I don’t have a specific reference because I don’t listen to a lot of EDM artists. My taste leans more towards Afro beats and hip-hop. But maybe I should explore more EDM artists to gain a broader perspective—it would definitely be interesting!
Tell us about your upcoming projects.
There are several exciting projects on the way—not just as a rapper but also as a director for music videos. I’ll keep the details a surprise for now, but there’s a lot to look forward to!
This was our conversation with Paal Dabba before the show, which will be held in Mumbai on 14th December.
Stay tuned to tellychakkar.com for more updates from the world of entertainment.
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