Decoding Best Kept Secret

Best Kept Secret is going places. The Bangalore based band has done plenty of amazing shows including performing at some of the Indian Premiere League afterparties over the years and some noted fashion shows including the India Beach Fashion Week here in Goa back in 2015. They’ve also gotten a chance to perform alongside Guns and Roses guitarist Gilbe Clarke, noted band Hoobastank, and White Shoe Theory   (former cricketer Bret Lee’s band). 

Not just that. They’ve also delivered some cool tunes like Can’t Let You Go and Moving on, which fans just can’t seem to get enough of. The band is now all set to return to Goa this weekend as they play at Cohiba’s popular Retro Nights on June 16. And they are all excited. “This is the first time that Best Kept Secret will be doing a pub show in Goa. We’ve previously done only fashion and private events, but we know that Goa has a very popular pub culture,” says lead vocalist Behram Singaporia. “We love the people of Goa. There’s such a good vibe and everyone is in a relaxed mode.”

Besides a long list of shows lined up around India, the band is also busy at work in their first EP which they hope to release in either September or October this year. “Right now, we are working on finalising the last music videos following which we will begin the promotional activities for the launch,” says Singaporia. The EP, he adds, will be a fun pop rock album infused with their unique sound, which you can dance, jump and clap your hands to. “It will include the tunes which we have already released, but these will be acoustic unplugged versions of them,” he says.

Although band member Hemant Diwakaran has previously joked that Singaporia is their Taylor Swift in the making, with their singles often inspired by his breakups, Singaporia is quick to correct this. “The Taylor Swift part isn’t true,” he says laughing. “But it’s definitely easier for us to write about our personal experiences. It comes most naturally for us.”

And while they are an Indian band which does English music, Singaporia reveals that they have had some interesting opportunities to experiment with Hindi music. But aren’t looking into it as of now. “We think in English and have grown up listening to English music. So we are not strong when it comes to Hindi. Our focus at the moment is to get our own music in English out there. But we will keep the option open of moving into the Hindi music space sometime in the near future,” he says.

And he admits that it’s always hard for independent artists to find ground in the beginning. “It’s all a matter of pushing and pushing and pushing. It is a frustrating process but it’s all about not giving up hope. You just got to keep working and you will get ahead,” he says.  

“It’s taken us awhile too, about three years, to get people’s attention and many people still don’t know us. We are still a secret to them,” he continues, “But we keep pushing our music and we have had some very loyal fans supporting us and promoting our music. So we have been fortunate on that front.”