Hyderabad-based independent artistes Saleha and Joshua discuss their shared love for music, the struggles of live gigs for Indian musicians.
Saleha & Joshua have cemented their name in Hyderabad's music scene, enthralling audiences with over 1,000 live shows in the last five years. (Supplied)
Every morning, an overwhelming sense of gratitude fills Saleha Paatwala as she reflects on the life she leads now. Having left behind her nine-to-five job to follow her heart’s calling, Saleha has embraced a fulfilling journey as a full-time musician.
Alongside her bandmate Joshua Roy, the duo, known as Saleha & Joshua, has cemented their name in Hyderabad’s music scene, enthralling audiences with over 1,000 live shows in the last five years.
From performing at clubs, private gigs, and weddings… to even restaurants, the duo has captured the hearts of Hyderabad’s Bollywood romantics, while serenading the audience down memory lane.
Saleha’s collaboration with Joshua bore fruit in her two singles — ‘Kismat’ and ‘Andheri Subha’. (Supplied)
Currently rocking the stage as a Bollywood cover band, Saleha & Joshua emerged from two distinct musical backgrounds.
While Saleha cherished visiting the nearest cassette shop to record 1990s Bollywood classics, Joshua always pledged his allegiance to Linkin Park.
Their paths eventually crossed when they connected through a “Find a Bandmate” Facebook group for Hyderabad-based musicians.
A one-hour jamming session in this City of Nizams sealed their fate as a one-of-a-kind duo. They are now booked almost six days a week.
“We want to support each other in our musical worlds that we’ve created,” Joshua told South First.
Describing his style as “experimental” and “technical”, in contrast to Saleha’s natural musicality, he explained how they complement each other’s works. “She brings out the emotion in my music and I weave technical flair into hers.”
Saleha’s collaboration with Joshua bore fruit in her two singles — Kismat, produced by Joshua, and Andheri Subha, where he featured as an artiste.
These singles were released during the 2020 lockdown, marking Saleha’s successful foray into original music. It earned 10,000 plays on Spotify and a feature in Rolling Stone magazine.
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The Udaipur-born musician is not under any pressure to release more original music. However, she hinted at her desire to release her own songs in the near future.
“But until that happens, I’m really happy doing cover songs,” she added gracefully.
As a band, Saleha & Joshua perform as a duo and a four-person group with Shreyansh Singh and Vijay Durbha.
With Saleha’s beguiling vocals and Joshua’s masterful guitar skills, they’ve created an extensive client base in the city that loves its biryani.
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They have secured shows for December 2023. “My USP is bringing nostalgia to the scene with long-forgotten songs,” Saleha said, and shared how she curates a set list based on the music she grew up listening to.
To curate this list, the duo consciously omits all Arijit Singh and Atif Aslam tracks, opting instead for songs that used to play on MTV back in the day. However, they also gauge the pulse of their audience and create lists that match the audience’s energy.
Saleha believes that the Indie music scene in Hyderabad has witnessed significant growth over the past five to 10 years, with a notable surge during the lockdown.
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“However, the environment in Hyderabad is less supportive compared to other cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Delhi,” highlighted Joshua.
A lack of peer camaraderie in the Hyderabad music scene is a concern, it seems. Expressing her heartfelt desire, Saleha said, “One thing that I would love is for artistes to support other artistes.”
Perhaps the biggest challenge faced by independent artistes like Saleha and Joshua is the disrespect shown to them by audiences, the staff, and management at performance venues.
Subpar equipment and negligent service from venues coupled with audience members treating them as personal jukeboxes and even pushing them off stage, for their moment in the spotlight, add to their struggles.
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“We are not doing this as a hobby; this is our bread and butter,” said Saleha, as she emphasised the meticulous preparation that goes into their live performances.
Covering up to 200 songs in a single three-hour-long performance, Joshua added that audiences often fail to recognise the sacrifices made by artistes to pursue a music career.
However, it is the smiles on the audience’s faces during the performances that keep the duo going, rejuvenating their zeal to perform. Perhaps, the reason why Saleha’s love for singing and Joshua’s addiction to creating music still burns bright even after 1,000 shows.
From juggling multiple jobs to dealing with rejection and criticism, the duo’s journey has been filled with challenges. But they have come a long way, persistently pursuing what makes them happy.
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Despite a hectic schedule, the duo aims to promote their work and expand their horizons, performing in different cities across the country. They also aspire to create original music and expand the band’s instrumentation.
Should aspiring musicians have a plan B? “Having a plan B is important. But when your heart’s true calling is music, you have to follow that calling!” he signs off.
His words resonate with conviction, leaving no doubt about the power of following one’s (musical) dreams.
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