Q&A: Songdew Music Competition Winner Profeus – Truth Seeker

For those people that haven’t heard of Profeus could you tell us a bit about yourself, your story?

I started with the keyboards when I was a kid and then switched to guitar. As a kid, I would always listen to television ads and try to find small melodies in them and play them on my keyboard by ear. I always felt even the smallest of melodies in an ad had some message to convey. It had a purpose. Fast forward to this day and I’m still trying to find meaning in the smallest of pieces and I greatly enjoy that. I believe every note has a story to tell and I try to convey this feeling through my compositions.

Who inspired you to get on stage and perform?

When I was 16 I stumbled across Guns N Roses and Metallica. Some of their songs were stored on an old pen drive lying around in my house. That was it! I instantly connected to that sort of music. I would like to thank whoever that was for introducing me to guitar-centric music

Are there any artists or albums that have inspired your music and stuck with you through the years?

I absolutely love the Black album by Metallica, Appetite for destruction by GNR, every Porcupine Tree album, and most recently the beautiful instrumental music of Nick Johnston, Guthrie Govan, and Plini.

Do you have any songwriting rituals?

Nope. I’m pretty random when it comes to composing.

Could you tell us a bit about the writing/recording of the Songdew Music Competition-winning track “Truth Seeker”?

I distinctly remember that day like it was yesterday. I was completely out of inspiration but still knew I had this cool riff waiting to come to the surface. I was listening to a lot of Indian classical music during that time. In a last-ditch attempt, I clicked the record button and the intro for Truth Seeker happened in a few takes. That Idea was hidden deep inside somewhere and I really had to pull it out of my subconscious. The song talks about people who went out of their way to find their truth in life and encourages the listener to find their true purpose and strive to achieve it. It has a spiritual side to it which I connect with a lot.

What are some of your favourite venues to perform at?

Performing my originals at ‘The Stables’ was a cool experience. Besides local clubs and pubs are also an incredibly rewarding experience. However Performing at NH7 India, metal festivals in Europe, and the Wembley stadium remains a dream for me.

Here at Artistic Echoes, we are always on the lookout for new artists do you have anyone to recommend?

I would recommend Purusharth Jain who is an Indian classical trained vocalist and composer.

What plans do you have for the rest of the year?

After releasing three singles my debut EP is dropping late this year. Very excited about it since I have experimented with different sounds and newer ideas. Jamming on ideas with Kaustub and Shourya (my bassist and drummer) is also something that I really look forward to doing. Let’s see what comes out!