Bonus Episode: Prateek Kuhad

Photo by Vansh Virmani

I normally hate mentioning numbers, but the fact that today’s guest has a song that has amassed over 18 million streams is truly remarkable; especially since it was released independently. That song is called Cold/Mess by Prateek Kuhad, a singer-songwriter from India who’s swiftly becoming one of the most prominent voices of his generation. The most beautiful thing about Prateek’s success is how it comes from his ability to share his emotions in a disarmingly authentic way. It’s that ability that’s helped him win the hearts of millions all over the world; including former President Barack Obama.

A few months back, Prateek released a new EP called Shehron Ke Raaz, a collection of songs sung entirely in his native Hindi. I love this body of work, especially because it’s another perfect example of how non-existent language barriers are becoming in our modern age. That at the end of the day, they’re emotions that are so universal, that even if you don’t understand a foreign language; you can still resonate with the intended sentiment of a song.

That said, I can’t deny the fact that even I wanted to know about the lyrics behind these beautiful songs, and luckily Prateek was willing to oblige my curiosity. Together, we chat about the stories behind some of the songs off Shehron Ke Raaz, being inspired by big cities, and why some experiences are truly universal.

After you hear the episode, be sure to check out Prateek’s track Khone Do on the official New Exchange Playlist. Also, follow Prateek Kuhad on Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.