Interview: Prateek Kuhad on his Silhouettes tour, songwriting, and the art of staying true

On a balmy evening at Bharatiya City Mall’s open-air auditorium in Bengaluru, the anticipation was palpable. Fans had gathered well over an hour before Prateek Kuhad’s performance, lingering in the ‘fan zone’ or the general admission area, clutching their tags after a somewhat circuitous entry process. Those arriving late were seen rushing back and forth between the box office and the venue, a flurry of movement contrasting with the stillness of the evening.

In the venue, confetti shot through the air, catching the soft glow of the stage lights. Phones were out — recording, documenting, and ready to be uploaded to social media. “How are you guys doing so far?” Prateek asked the crowd periodically, his voice warm and friendly. In the ‘fan zone’, a girl with a bandaged right leg in a wheelchair smiled.

Prateek, dressed in a white shirt with minimal designs, held the stage without theatrics. This was not a high-octane, rave; instead, it felt like an intimate gathering, where people swayed gently to the music, some holding each other with quiet affection.

It is this comforting, inclusive vibe that defines a Prateek Kuhad concert — a space where every note feels personal, where even the grandest of settings takes on an intimate glow. When I interview the singer-songwriter over the phone days later to discuss his ongoing Silhouettes tour (presented by Johnnie Walker Refreshing Mixer Non-Alcoholic), however, I realise that the gentleness of the experience belies a deeper complexity within him.

“In real life, I’m quite the opposite of comforting,” he says, “I’m an intense person. My music gives a comforting vibe, probably because I enjoy listening to and making that kind of music.”

Prateek’s career has unfolded in ways he never anticipated. Raised in Jaipur, he spent years in New York studying at New York University, unaware that music would become his life’s work. “I had no idea I was going to be a musician,” he admits. “I was the farthest thing from it, and suddenly I’m playing to 10,000–15,000 people, with crowds singing my songs back at me. It’s been an intense journey for me.”

It is this dichotomy — between the deeply personal and the undeniably public — that forms the backdrop of his latest tour. Silhouettes, the name he chose for the tour, is as much a reflection of his journey as it is a metaphor for identity and self-perception. “With all the noise and stuff around you — people, media, everything — it can feel like you’re a silhouette of yourself,” he explains, “You start to lose yourself, so to speak. It comes from that feeling.”

A reluctant performer

“I don’t like performing live. There’s nothing I like about it,” he says with a bluntness that might unsettle fans who equate passion with performance. For an artist as successful as Prateek, this admission is both surprising and refreshingly candid.

So, how does he manage to tour and perform night after night? “We all do things we don’t particularly enjoy. I don’t hate performing live — it’s not torture for me — but it’s not something I love doing. There are moments when the audience sings along, and the vibes are good, which feels really nice. Playing with my band is fun, too. Hanging out and playing on stage with them is enjoyable.”

Yet, the broader realities of touring — the travel, the exhaustion — are a challenge. “Touring is hard, and if any musician says they enjoy touring, I think they’re lying because it’s taxing. Most musicians I know have a love-hate relationship with it.”

Even so, there are moments that make it worthwhile. Prateek describes the finale of his shows, a moment of pure connection with his audience. “I go into the centre of the audience. I wear in-ears when performing, which are like noise-cancelling headphones. For this part, I take off my in-ears and hear the crowd singing — it’s insane. That’s a really special moment.”

Simplicity of songwriting

If touring is a necessary evil, songwriting is his favourite part. Yet, he downplays the mystique often associated with the creative process. “For me, writing is just something I need to do. It doesn’t necessarily make me feel better or worse; I just like doing it.”

He bristles slightly at the tendency to over-intellectualise art. “I think people complicate it more than necessary. I just enjoy doing it, and it’s hard to find something you like doing all the time and that you’re good at.” His approach is fluid and unforced. “If I don’t feel like writing, I just stop. Sometimes, there are long periods when I don’t write, and then when I’m ready, I naturally start writing again.”

While songwriting itself feels effortless, the processes that follow — production, collaboration, and releasing the music — can be challenging. “Production can be a difficult process because it’s a lot of tweaking and back-and-forth. Working with other people is challenging, too. When I’m writing, I’m just by myself, so I can take my time and only account for my own mistakes. There’s no such thing as making a mistake in writing.”

Prateek’s music often evokes vivid imagery, a quality that stems from his inherently visual way of experiencing the world. “I am definitely a visual person in general. As I’ve grown up, I’ve noticed that I pay more attention to visual details like architecture, spaces, colours, textures, and cinema. I like to write lines that describe a certain scene, sometimes realistic, sometimes fantastical. It’s about creating a scene you want to be in or one that feels familiar.”

This cinematic quality is particularly evident in lines like “haweyeh bhi gungunati hai” (even the wind is humming) from his song ‘Tum Jab Paas.’ “It’s about capturing a feeling. You can picture standing there, feeling the wind singing in your ear, surrounded by nature. It’s a beautiful, poetic moment that feels good to think about.”

Prateek Kuhad at the concert
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Being authentic

In an era where social media often feels inescapable, Prateek has managed to carve out a path that feels true to himself. “I don’t do a lot of that stuff. I don’t do things I don’t like. If something is too far out of my comfort zone, I just don’t do it.”

This authenticity extends to his creative choices. While others may define him by a signature sound, he resists the notion. “Honestly, I feel like other people have a perspective on what my signature is. I don’t really know what my signature is — I just make music. I don’t think about it too much. I feel like I make different stuff a lot.”

His ultimate priority remains clear: creating work that feels meaningful to him. “For me, it’s very simple: I make music that I like, and then I release those albums. I try my best to make money somehow so that I can make more albums.”

Prateek Kuhad at the concert
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

At ease with ambiguity

As Prateek reflects on his journey, he remains philosophical about the unpredictable nature of success. “People ask these questions, but they’re not great questions because nobody truly knows how they do it. It’s all the basic stuff you hear from everyone: stay resilient, keep doing what you want to do, try hard, and you might succeed. But honestly, it’s not that straightforward.”

It is a perspective that seems to guide his entire approach to life and art: embracing ambiguity, resisting over-complication, and staying true to what feels right.

For someone who describes himself as “discomforting” in real life, Prateek’s music continues to offer a balm for the spirit — a comforting presence in an often chaotic world. And perhaps that is the most intriguing paradox about him.