The Other People were formed in July 2004 in Mumbai, India. They are known to audiences for their exciting performances and adding an original twist to every song they perform. T.O.P has opened for the international artistes including Saving Abel, Michael Learns to Rock, DJ Edward Maya, DJ Diamond, Lacuna Coil and Bedouin Soundclash; and have performed alongside Pop sensation Jay Sean. The band is currently expanding their repertoire of original songs and is in the process of recording their debut album. They are also the winners of The Pixel Project’s Fall 2012 YouTube Cover Carnival contest.
1. Congratulations on winning the Grand Prize in the Fall 2012 YouTube Cover Carnival contest! How does it feel to win while helping the cause to end Violence Against Women?
Thank You! It’s the best feeling The Other People have had in 8 years of being together. Just being able to work with The Pixel Project to help raise awareness baout Violence against Women is a privilege in itself and having won the grand prize in the contest makes it even more worthwhile. Now in our own small way, we can hopefully contribute to bringing an end to violence against women the world over.
2. With 1 in 3 women worldwide facing gender-based violence in their lives, pretty much everybody would know a woman or girl who has faced some form of violence. In fact, India has been voted as the worst country for women among the G20 countries. Has any of the members of The Other People been affected by or witnessed Violence Against Women and how has that help shape your attitude towards women and girls?
Hearing of such incidents and actually witnessing them is not the same. We have been fortunate not to have witnessed these violent acts against women first hand; however, it is something we read and hear about daily – the daily news is all about rape, acid attacks and women being beaten up. We hope never to witness such atrocities and try our best to educate people through the cause we are supporting.
India’s position among the G-20 countries is indeed very sad and deplorable. It is shameful to know that our country rates the highest in incidents of Violence Against Women. We have a huge amount of respect for women in general as the world wouldn’t be complete without women. Our fan base mostly comprises women and girls and we have nothing but respect for them.
3. Violence Against Women is usually pigeonholed as a women’s issue and it can be an uphill task getting men and boys involved in stopping the violence. Why is ending Violence against Women important to The Other People as men?
Being an all-male band, the majority of our fans are women and girls. It would hurt us deeply to know that any one of them is a victim of violence. Expressing ourselves through our music will help other males in our society understand that women need to be cared for, respected and most importantly, loved. Violence in general needs to stop, it is tearing our world apart. Whether directly involved or not, everyone is affected by it in some way or the other. Violence Against Women can never be justified.
The Other People understand this and hence it is our endeavour to create awareness in our fellow human beings that Violence Against Women should be stopped because it is an evil practice and needs to be eradicated from our society.
4. Violence Against Women is a very difficult issue to talk about but with so many lives at stake, we all have a responsibility to speak up about it. In your opinion, why can music break through taboos better than simple conversation and how can we use music to start the conversation?
From an early age we have all been strongly influenced by music and lyrics. Music is a part of every culture and when a strong message like this is conveyed in song, people are more receptive and understanding of the purpose for which it is written. Positive music and lyrics can sub-consciously influence people.
We need to start with our youth. They are the ones listening to music and attending our gigs. If this point can be brought home in their formative years and when they are still open minded, it would go a long way in creating the necessary awareness.“We Are The World” and “Heal The World” for example, are songs that convey the strongest messages about everything that needs to change in today’s world.
Music speaks a universal language and it can definitely cut through barriers and taboos better than just holding a conversation, it would definitely help get across the masses.
5. What would you say to musicians who are unsure about whether to get involved with the cause to end Violence Against Women?
We don’t see why anyone should be unsure of getting involved with a cause like this. We all have mothers… some of us have sisters and daughters who could be victims tomorrow. It is something that people the world over need to realise and become aware of now before things get completely out of control. There is nothing to be afraid of. If you really and truly believe that this is a problem, then it is only right that we all join hands and come together to find a solution.
For a musician, life is all about striking the right chords at the right time. This cause is definitely one of them. START NOW!
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Give back while giving joy this Christmas:
Searching for an affordable gift that is both empowering and uplifting for someone in need of that extra encouragement and good vibes this Christmas? Check out our “16 For 16” digital EP featuring 5 songs aimed at lifting the spirits and empowering survivors of Violence Against Women worldwide via all major online music stores including iTunes, Amazon, Google Music, Spotify and many more. Prices range from US$4.95 to US$6.45 depending on region and retailer and 100% of the proceeds go towards keeping The Pixel Project’s programmes and projects running. Just click on the buttons below to be taken to the EP’s download page in your preferred online music store:
