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Bengaluru band Swarathma has long used music to bridge divides, spark dialogue, and make room for difficult truths. Sitting down with members Vasu Dixit, Jishnu Dasgupta and Varun Murali, it\u2019s easy to understand why. \u201cMusic lets you have hard conversations with out friction; it gives you a gentle way to say what\u2019s difficult,\u201d says Jishnu. \u201cThrough music, we can start conversations and initiatives that bring people together, united by their love for the city,\u201d they tell us. The band is set to unveil their new track, Belongaluru, at a city mental health festival. In our conversation, they reflect on how music, belonging, and authenticity intersect – using their art to connect people, encourage honest dialogue, and celebrate Bengaluru.\u2018MUSIC LETS YOU TALK ABOUT DIFFICULT THINGS WITH EASE\u2019<\/span>Vasu calls music a kind of emotional therapy. \u201cYou can express anything through love. Even sadness or anger sits on a base of love – why else do sad songs connect? Even when you speak of distress in the city, music lets you do it with love. It helps you connect. Music isn\u2019t the solution, but it starts you on the path,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Art should represent what affects us. So, it has been a conscious decision not to write about frivolous things<\/p>\n Vasu Dixit \u2018THE CITY IS YOUR HOME – MAKE IT YOURS\u2019<\/span>\u201cEvery city has its rhythm,\u201d says Vasu. \u201cMysuru is relaxed. Mumbai moves fast. Bengaluru is now grappling with who belongs, how much Kannada you speak, and what makes a \u2018real\u2019 Bengalurean,\u201d he points out. Vasu believes belonging is a two-way street. He says, \u201cPeople who\u2019ve lived here long must allow others their space; newcomers must also take ownership.\u201d He shares a small act of pride, with, \u201cWe haven\u2019t thrown out garbage in eight years – we segregate and hand it over properly. This is my way of owning the city. If it\u2019s your home, treat it like it.\u201d<\/p>\n One should treat their city like their home. If you find your home messy, you clean it \u2014 but we don\u2019t do that for the city. We think, \u2018I\u2019m only here for a while.\u2019 If we give the city the same care we give our home, it will give back much more<\/p>\n Jishnu Dasgupta \u2018SOCIAL MEDIA TAKES MORE THAN IT GIVES\u2019<\/span>The band admits they feel the pressure to be visible online. \u201cIt\u2019s a necessary evil,\u201d says Jishnu, adding, \u201cWe\u2019d love to just make art, but visibility rules today. Artistes are made to feel inadequate because that fuels the industry.\u201d Vasu adds, \u201cWe haven\u2019t even completed a video and we\u2019re already thinking about its promotion. Uploading constantly becomes pressure unless you enjoy it. Art should be found be cause people like it – not because we push it.\u201d Varun agrees, \u201cSocial media makes everything look and sound the same. Mediocrity becomes the norm.\u201d\u2018NOTHING REPLACES THE BEAUTY OF LIVE MUSIC\u2019<\/span>Despite digital pressures, Swarathma considers live music sacred. \u201cWe\u2019ve been a live band for years. The mistakes, the sweat, the audience – that connection is irreplaceable. You may get 20 million views, but the truth is on stage,\u201d says Vasu. He adds that audiences are returning, pushing them to raise the bar. Varun shares one wish, \u201cIf only phones were banned at shows. Everyone\u2019s busy recording instead of experiencing. The moment is meant to be felt, not filmed.\u201d\u2018WE HOPE PEOPLE HUM THIS SONG WHENEVER THEY NEED A SENSE OF BELONGING\u2019<\/span> Their upcoming track Belongaluru is more than just a song, the band insists. \u201cIt\u2019s a culture project,\u201d says Jishnu. \u201cThe idea is: what if this became a phrase that brings warmth back into the city, especially now, when people are increasingly divided along linguistic lines. Bengaluru has always welcomed outsiders and allowed them to contribute. Musically, it\u2019s a simple, catchy tune, but I hope people hum it, remember it, and use it whenever they need a sense of belonging.\u201d<\/p>\n People record everything, and watch grand moments seen only through a phone screen. But they\u2019re best enjoyed by being part of them, not through a lens. You can\u2019t feel that energy later in a clip<\/p>\n Varun Murali <\/div>\n