Sidharth Bendi’s latest release ‘2006’ makes an impact

Tugging on the listener’s heartstrings is a sure shot formula for musical success, and the easiest way to do so is by evoking nostalgia for the happiness and innocence of one’s childhood. Indie singer Sidharth Bendi from Hyderabad does exactly this in his hit single ‘2006’, released last month. Bendi has previously released two EPs and four singles, and has made a name for himself in the music scene. ‘2006’ is an alternative electro-pop number which makes an impact through its meaningful lyrics and soulful vocals.
“2006 was written about missing my childhood and everything that has changed to bring me to my current state. The idea came to me when I saw an old video from my seventh birthday which was in 2006. I felt many different emotions from watching it and reflecting on it that are directly linked to my life right now. I wrote the song during the peak of the pandemic and I’m sure that had a strong influence on how I felt as well. It was a generally slower time in the world,” introspects Bendi speaking to Sunday Guardian Review.
‘2006’ also bears the distinction of being produced entirely by Bendi. “I’ve been co-producing my music for a long time and I always love being hands-on with my work. Initially, I preferred to hand over projects to more experienced producers but soon found that I enjoyed making my own music. I didn’t let anybody’s ideas influence the output or the experimental choices I was making with this song, and that was a first — it’s liberating,” he says.
Having made a name for his soulful performances across India, Bendi has emerged in recent years as a prominent singer-songwriter, music producer and acoustic pop performer. He is a 2022 alum of the summer programme of the Berklee College of Music in USA, but he began performing professionally right after graduating from school. He is credited with having performed over 1000 shows as well as being the youngest singer-songwriter in Hyderabad to release a self-written EP, called ‘One In A Million’, a feat he achieved in 2017.
He shares, “I’ve always written about real-life events and the feelings that these events have brought up in me. My writing is usually based on a series of scattered events, but I have felt these emotions because of something that happened to me. I have never had to think about a theme as such. A lot of people want to express their feelings the same way I do but are unable to, and I want my songs to become a medium for these people to express themselves. It’s become a pattern with my songs where listeners have come back and said that it’s exactly what they wish they could have said. I just hope this continues.”
Among his achievements include three pan-India tours and hundreds of shows outside Hyderabad, including at festival stages like Zomaland, Under 25, TEDx, and more. He has opened for stalwarts like Tejas Menon, Vir Das, Prateek Kuhad, AWKS, Dhruv Viswanath, WCMT, Divine, Ritviz, and others. Bendi was adjudged among the top 30 singer-songwriters in a contest held by BGBNG and Compassbox Music in 2022. His work has also been featured in Spotify playlists like ‘New Music Friday’, ‘Fresh Indie Finds’, and ‘Naya Indiestaan’. ‘2006’ is now playing on Radio one, BigFM and Red Indies, apart from being aired on VH1.
Aside from his vocal talent, the 24-year-old also produces music for other debutants and has become an important member of the creative community of Hyderabad. As a creative soul, Bendi also has a keen interest in photography, vlogging, video-making, creative direction and working on building his personal brand. He says, “I currently have at least 15 more projects in the works!” alluding to how busy his schedule is.
Some of his most notable projects include ‘Stay Sane With Jane: Season 2’ which is India’s #5 podcast on Spotify, the ‘Stories of Newness’ documentary and ‘Vlogtober 2020’ which was a 30-day vlog series. His vlog about the Hyderabad floods in 2020 was even awarded a Top 24 position in a vlog competition held by Fujifilm India and India Film Project. He is honing his skills further to work on his new creative direction venture called 10:11/12 Productions.
Apart from donning many creative hats, Bendi also has a philanthropic soul, evident in the fact that he opened a non-profit organisation called ‘The Beautiful World Movement’ (TBWM) in Hyderabad. Its goal is to raise awareness on causes like sustainability, nurturing the lives of underprivileged children, animal welfare, and other issues. TBWM raises funds by organising cultural events in Hyderabad, which in turn provides a platform for upcoming artists in the city.
Noor Anand Chawla pens lifestyle articles for various publications and her blog www.nooranandchawla.com.