MUMBAI: Multilingual pop-folk band, known for their feel-good music, When Chai Met Toast released their first Hindi single ‘Kahaani’ on September 18.

Packed with characteristic When Chai Met Toast (WCMT) sonic flourishes – gentle guitar plucking and the sounds of banjo – ‘Kahaani’ is a love song for those who met the right person at the wrong time.

The new single is a part of the Kochi-based band’s upcoming album, When We Feel Young, and follows two previously released tracks, ‘Maybe I can fly’ and the title track, ‘When we feel young’.

“We’ve all had that first love that didn’t work out… Sometimes even when things seem perfect, they do not go the way we plan due to reasons we are unable to handle at that point,” say WCMT of the idea behind the song, before adding, “We feel the essence of the song is the emotion of acceptance.”

Made up of founding members Ashwin Gopakumar (vocals) and Achyuth Jaigopal (guitar), Banjo Palee Francis on keys and drummer Sailesh G Pai, When Chai Met Toast is a part of Spotify’s global emerging-artist program, RADAR.

You can listen to ‘Kahaani’ here: https://linktr.ee/whenchaimettoast

When Chai Met Toast and their upcoming album, When We Feel Young

The four-piece indie-folk band from ‘the land of coconuts’ has amassed fans across the country with their infectious sound, pop infused with Western folk and deep-rooted in Indian musical sensibilities. Their uplifting, radio-friendly songs bring together a kaleidoscope of musical styles and instruments under the wider umbrella of pop music. And their ability to convey ideas and emotions in a multitude of languages – Tamil, Hindi, or Malayalam sprinkled between the English verses – sets them apart from their contemporaries in the independent music landscape.

Their first Hindi song – requested by many a fan since the band’s formation in 2016 – is a special release for a band of non-native Hindi speakers from Kerala.

“We hope ‘Kahaani’ is a pleasant surprise for our fans who have often requested for songs in different languages, including Hindi. We love how different languages help convey thoughts in different ways to people. When we composed ‘Kahaani’, we felt the tune would fit perfectly for a Hindi song and thought Hindi words would do justice to the track. Since we weren’t native Hindi speakers, we approached Ankur Tewari to pen the words for the song,” the band says.

Over the past few months since the global pandemic made touring and travelling impossible, the band has been hard at work trying to finish their first full-length album, When We Feel Young. WCMT has previously released two EPs, Joy of Little Things (2017) and Believe (2018).

The band released two singles from the album during lockdown, 'Maybe I can fly' and 'When we feel young', which conveyed the poignant messages of hope, love, and reminiscence. ‘Maybe I can fly’ and the title track have been loved by fans, racking up lakhs of views on YouTube.

“We’ve been receiving messages about how the songs have become a soothing escape for people, and this gives us joy that the audience is connecting with our message,” the band adds.

Conceptualized as an eight-track album, When We Feel Young touches on themes of love, nostalgia, celebration, hope and faith. “When We Feel Young features electric guitars, synths and a pop flourish while retaining some of our previous folk-indebted sound.
The album contains a diverse mix of songs, a balance of sounds relatable to WCMT as well as newer elements,” is the band’s explanation.

Apart from the album, WCMT have also been working on acoustic versions of their singles in their Nature Tapes series, and the acoustic version of ‘When we feel young’ recently caught the attention of Academy Award winner and legendary music producer AR Rahman as well.

You can see that Nature Tapes video here: