“They made becoming an artist sound so exciting,” says Ghimire. Mantra Guitar planned to establish a Mantra Artists Fund that supports young and aspiring Nepali musicians. They were looking for young artists and they saw a lot of potential in Ghimire to become one. “I wasn’t confident that I could become a singer. But knowing that I would get to be around like-minded people made me want to take them up on their offer,” he says.
It started with small gigs. His first performance was at Fat Monk’s Bar in Thamel, Kathmandu. The audience, he says, enjoyed his music, and seeing people appreciate his talent gave him the motivation he required to continue on his musical journal. He sang from seven in the evening until midnight. He says he would often not notice time passing by because he was so engrossed in his performances. Soon, he decided to quit engineering and become a full-time musician. His family, on the other hand, wasn’t aware of any of this. “I wanted to gain at least some recognition before I told them I had quit engineering,” he says. He let them know five years later. Although they were shocked at first, Ghimire says, his family members have come to accept his decision. Collaborating with Mantra Artists, he released his first song in 2021. Recording in a studio was a completely different yet exciting experience. “I wanted to learn what goes on in a studio while recording a song. The more songs I recorded, the more I got to learn,” he says. Growing up listening to Bollywood music, he says, has had a huge influence on the kind of songs he likes to compose. “Almost every song I write has a classical base,” he says. And he likes to compose songs both in Nepali and Hindi. Some people, he says, have questioned him for composing Hindi songs. “I believe language should never be a barrier for any artist. I have listened to and sung Hindi songs all throughout my childhood. So if singing in this language helps me express myself better, I won’t hesitate to do it,” he says. When it comes to working on lyrics, Ghimire says that he doesn’t have a specific writing process. “I write what I feel,” he says. He believes that his songs depend on the emotional state he is in while working on them. He has a habit of carrying a notebook and pen around just so he can jot down the lines that come to mind whenever and wherever he is. It’s the same with melodies. There are times when he has abruptly parked on the side just so he can record a melody that’s just spontaneously come to him. “I don’t compose a song based on one melody that pops into my mind,” he says. Rather, he fits in those melodies somewhere in the middle of a song. “I have used almost every melody I have come up with,” he says. Ghimire says he loves being a part of the music industry and that pursuing music was perhaps his best decision ever. “I have finally found myself,” he says. He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in ethnomusicology at Kathmandu University’s Department of Music. Unlike engineering, studying music, he says, comes naturally. Ghimire is undecided about what exactly he will do in the future. But he knows he will be involved in making music in one way or the other. He doesn’t want to bind himself with strict goals. He would rather just go with the flow and see where the path leads him. “But I’m looking forward to learning new things and making good music,” he says.
