Arpit Chourey reflects on his journey from Bihar to stage as he prepares for Hard Rock Café performance in Hyderabad

Arpit Chourey reflects on his journey from Bihar to stage as he prepares for Hard Rock Café performance in Hyderabad

Arpit draws inspiration from an eclectic range of music, which he believes keeps him creatively alive.

HYDERABAD: Arpit Chourey’s story is the kind that feels both inspiring and grounded — an artiste navigating his way through life, fuelled by passion and persistence. From his humble beginnings in Bihar to making his mark as a singer, Arpit’s journey is a testament to following one’s dreams even when the odds seem stacked against you.

 

Arpit is all set to perform on December 22 at the Hard Rock Café, Hitec City, a venue that holds a special place in his heart. “Hard Rock has always been amazing. The energy, the people — they’re so receptive and fun-loving. I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone dance since I cannot dance,” he said with a wide grin.

 

Reflecting on his early days, the singer said, “Music has always been there. I started working, my first job was in Bihar. I wanted to do music. I wanted to do something in music, but then Bihar had no opportunity as such. So, I landed a job in Hyderabad, which was the first city which happened. And then I started playing originals and that’s how I got into playing more gigs around the city.”

 

When he speaks about his first live performance, you can see the joy in his expression. It’s a memory that shaped his confidence on stage. Recalling a nugget of wisdom from a high school teacher, Arpit expressed, “She told me, if you’re on the stage and you think you’re like a king, you won’t feel anything. That’s what I had in my mind. Because, or else, it’s all jittery.”

 

Arpit draws inspiration from an eclectic range of music, which he believes keeps him creatively alive. “I like Jack Johnson, John Mayer. Basically, I listen to everything from death metal to ghazals. It keeps changing and currently I’m listening to a lot of rock and roll.

 

Like Chuck Berry and all. It’s Christmas season after all,” he shared, laughing. These influences deeply shape his songwriting. “Jack Johnson has a very earthy, very acoustic feel and pays more attention to what he is writing, storytelling, and singers like him has inspired me. When I write originals or when I release my own songs or if I’m composing, that is somewhere in the back of my mind. I don’t want to write cliches,” he added thoughtfully.

When it comes to creating music, Arpit’s process is as free-spirited as he is. “The thing about creating is that there are no rules. If you want to write, write. If you have a tune in your head, make it happen,” he said.

 

One of his songs, Curious Case of Mondays, is a perfect example of this playful creativity. Inspired by his drummer’s habit of skipping Monday jam sessions to spend time with his girlfriend, Arpit transformed this simple quirk into a lively, fictional story.

 

Some of his most cherished performances include the NH7 Weekender in 2016 and playing at the iconic The Piano Man Jazz Club in Delhi. “The Piano Man was the best. It was so much fun,” he reminisced. While he doesn’t stick to a single genre, he acknowledges his strengths.

 

“I have my limitations — I can’t rap or do metal vocals. But when I’m performing covers, especially commercial music, I don’t hold back because I’m performing for the crowd,” he further narrated.

 

Beyond music, Arpit has a range of interests that keep him grounded. He enjoys reading, watching football and cricket, and occasionally dabbling in sports. Podcasts and YouTube videos also serve as sources of inspiration. For aspiring singers, his advice is simple yet profound — confidence is key.

 

“My English teacher once said, think of yourself as a king when you’re on stage and also think that everyone in the audience are fools, you know more than them. I mean, you have to think like that. And then only you’ll have that confidence to blabber whatever you’re doing on stage,” he revealed.

 

The journey has been incredible, but he knows it’s far from over. As he wrapped up, he quoted a song that perfectly sums up his journey till now, ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey’ and with the passion he carries, those miles are bound to be filled with music, stories, and unforgettable moments.

MEXICO CITY: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum issued a decree on Friday returning more than 2,000 hectares to two communities of the Tarahumara Indigenous people in the northern state of Chihuahua, on the border with the United States.

 

“Today is a historic day because we are returning a land, a territory to its owners,” said the president, detailing the restitution of two sections of 1,485 and 693 hectares each at a ceremony held in the Spanish and Tarahumara languages.

 

The Tarahumara people — also known as the Raramuri — live in the Sierra Tarahumara region, which is criss-crossed by seven gorges, some of them deeper than the Grand Canyon in neighboring Arizona.

 

Recognition of Indigenous peoples is a commitment of Sheinbaum’s ruling Movement for National Regeneration (Morena).

 

The president’s office said 4.7 billion pesos ($235 million) had been invested in a “justice plan” for the people of the Sierra Tarahumara.

 

In September, Morena’s vast majority in the federal parliament adopted a constitutional reform that recognizes the rights of Indigenous and Afro-Mexican peoples.

 

The policy was initiated by former president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, architect of Morena’s rise to power after his election in 2018.

 

In 2022, Lopez Obrador returned around 30,000 hectares of land to the Yaki community in the northern state of Sonora.

 

In Mexico, about 23.2 million people — or 19.4 percent of the population — self-identify as Indigenous, according to the National Statistics Institute.

 

 

JAIPUR: The death toll in the LPG tanker accident on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway rose to 14 on Saturday, an official said here.

 

He said more than 30 people who suffered burn injuries in the massive crash are undergoing treatment.

 

“Five charred bodies were received yesterday. Eight others have died. Total 14 deaths have been reported so far. Twenty-seven patients are admitted to SMS hospital and undergoing treatment. Seven are on ventilator support,” Dr Sushil Bhati, Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital Superintendent, said.

 

He added that the body of one more victim was taken to another hospital. Five bodies are yet to be identified, Bhati said.

 

A truck hit the LPG tanker on the highway in the Bhankrota area in the early hours of Friday, sparking a massive fire that engulfed more than 35 vehicles.

 

Rajasthan Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khinvsar said on Friday that the condition of about half of the injured was “very critical”. Most of the people injured in the accident are admitted to the ‘Burn Unit’ of the SMS Hospital here.