Ashton Dsouza grew up in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and later moved to Mangalore where he was surrounded by the vocal harmonies of his choir, and he regularly joined them as they frequented the thriving musical scene. Born with an ear for music, he quickly formulated his unique, subtle, wondrous and overwhelming musical sensibilities to his piano and played short pieces from memory. After years of studying and performing locally and getting featured in the official Clash Of Clan’s page for his adaptation of the theme song, Ashton moved to UAE where he cultivated his talents into live performances and now is a frequent performer at World Trade Center Abu Dhabi. He employs both his intuitive instincts and his command of a broad range of musical styles with daring originality, creative freedom and the outrageous confidence in live performance. I recently had the opportunity to chat with the enigmatic instrumentalist from Mangalore making strong waves in the Arabian city of the future.
Shabari: Originating from Mangalore and growing up in UAE, you were likely able to see roots of music in different forms. In particular, do you believe your diverse environment influenced your love for music?
Ashton: I think a person’s exposure to different genres has the ability to enhance their music taste. For example in UAE, besides Arabic music, you are mostly exposed to generic pop, hip hop and the top 40 music on the charts. In Mangalore on the other hand, I experienced a whole new range of musical diversity such as classics and rock and roll that are most loved, especially in weddings and parties. Growing up, I did listen to a lot of ABBA, Boney M, and Scorpions, and I do think the magical aspect about these oldies is the fact that they are evergreen. I was also exposed to regional music and I ended up appreciating music irrespective of language, time and genre. Gospel music played a huge role in my life and I absolutely adored performing in the choir. I don’t judge or criticize people when it comes to their taste in music but I most certainly admire musical diversity, fusion and the beauty that embrace roots in various forms.
Shabari: How old were you when you first took an interest in being a pianist and what’s the story behind it?
Ashton: Growing up, I wasn’t always sure about what I wanted to take up since I was always trying to find the niche where my passion dwelled. I initially considered taking up the guitar because it was conventionally reflected to as something “cool” but I thought it would hurt my fingers, so I didn’t go about with it. The piano was always gentle and smooth but at the same time, very powerful. I loved the idea of a lot of keys leading to a massive range of fascinating possibilities. I used to attend classes but I would never like the music being taught since I always wanted to improvise and I couldn’t wait to master the art. I soon quit my piano lessons, when I was 16; I performed in my school’s talent showcase. I think that event, in particular, provided me a strong foundation for the passion for performance.
Shabari: Name a few musicians who inspired and influenced you.
Ashton: A few years ago, I started indulging myself in YouTube videos and I got inspired by the Piano guys. I just loved their classy style of playing the instrument and their simple yet powerful approach. They have an aura about them that attracts the audience instantly and I aspire to acquire that ability. I play the piano purely based on my passion and I don’t consider it as a career option. I play solely to bring happiness to my audience through my music, and no money can replace that kind of bliss, and I truly treasure it.
Shabari: What’s it like for you being on the stage, playing in front of people who already know the lyrics and feel your vibe?
Ashton: I honestly love being on stage since I get to do what I love the most. I was initially hesitant about performing in front of a large audience since I would doubt my abilities, but I eventually got confident with encouragement, appreciation and the thrill of performing. My favorite part would most certainly be the look of amazement and awe that ushers in while I play a piece, combined with an uproar of applause and cheers at the end of it.
Shabari: What are some of the reactions you have noticed while performing live?
Ashton: I would say I’m well aware of the kind of music that grabs attention. When I play something, I would play something from my repertoire that would make passers stop and listen. I cherish it when people take out their phones and record my performance to put it up on their social networking stories. I often play songs especially theme songs or popular songs that would captivate the crowd instantly. I frequently have spontaneous mall gigs and that’s when people stop shopping and transfer all their attention towards me. It means so much and reminds how music can be powerful to leave people effortlessly stunned.
Shabari: How do you feel social media has helped your music in terms of accessibility to followers?
Ashton: I think social media is such a powerful tool and is one of the best ways to promote your music, be it Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter or SoundCloud. These sites provide a great platform to gain followers and meet other musicians. It helps you to gain a wider audience and when people provide honest reviews through comments, it helps you improve imperfections and gain the courage to make more videos. I started off by recording a short clip of myself playing the theme song of the popular game Clash of Clans. I shared it with a couple of friends and then tweeted the link to Clash of Clan’s official Twitter page where it got featured and retweeted. I was elated and amazed on how social media can spiral the popularity of a video from zero to thousand views in a few span of seconds.
Shabari: Which social medium do you think is the best avenue to reach out to a larger range of people?
Ashton: Often people want to start something off by uploading it on YouTube, but according to me, Facebook leads to easy accessibility. It’s probably the feature where you are recommended splendid videos with guaranteed friends and followers; while YouTube only enables subscribers you may or may not know. Instagram too is a great platform to promote your business of art forms and I think these two are equally great on par with YouTube in terms of followers’ and subscribers accessibility as we speak.
Shabari: What style do you think audiences are most drawn to?
Ashton: In general, different people are drawn to different genres, so I play music that’s easily likable. I think the style of playing is an important factor since it determines your entire performance. You should enjoy playing being completely natural since people enjoy the music being played when the performer enjoys it and it’s not a treat to watch someone play in a very monotonous manner. What you display and how you display it gets felt with vibes being spread simply through music.
Shabari: If there is a piece of advice you would like to give aspiring young musicians, what would it be?
Ashton: I would advise young musicians to not let anything stop from following the path paved by passion. Being a good musician and being a performer can be two different things. You may have great skills and no performance talent whatsoever. You could enchant your audience by going up to the stage with a charismatic aura but have no skills once your start playing. So perfecting your skills and polishing your performance by watching other artists go hand in hand, helping you maintain that impeccable balance which is the instant key for a wholesome performance.
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