From humble beginnings in 2016 to a meteoric rise following the release of their debut EP Joy of Little Things (2017), When Chai Met Toast (WCMT) continues to stamp their mark on the music industry. The WCMT juggernaut has now grown to include EPs Believe (2018) and LYTS (2023), the full-length album When We Feel Young (2021), and the astounding title of the most streamed English band in India.
Following headline performances at major festivals in India, sold-out shows in the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and significant events, including the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix, WCMT is finally embarking on its first Australian tour in March. Here to showcase their inimitable fusion of folk-pop, indie and alternative rock, audiences will be treated to the compelling and multilingual soundscapes that have made them an unparalleled success.
Your Australian tour begins in less than one month. What can audiences expect to see at a live When Chai Met Toast show?
The Australian audiences can expect to go back with a heartwarming smile and for us to sprinkle some magic the WCMT way. Our shows are full of singalongs and positive energy, and we’ve always been known for our live concerts. Musically, the show will cover all of our major hits from previous repertoire, as well as some new material from the LYTS EP and a recent Bollywood song we did.Taking our music to Australia is a dream come true for us, and it wouldn’t have been possible without blaide.live (Manish), who helped us put this all together.
Your music is an Indian/ English fusion which is uncommon among Indian bands. What was the rationale for creating multilingual music instead of focusing on one language only?
All four of us speak multiple languages. Urban India converses in English but also mixes regional languages in between. That’s sort of what we do with our music as well. We didn’t want to restrict ourselves to a single language, and wherever we felt the song could be expressed in a certain language better, we did not shy away from it. Ultimately it’s about what language/ languages help emote the song the best way.
Your music is also upliftingly positive and relatable. How have you maintained such positivity amid the negativity of world events over the last few years?
Our music mostly stems from personal experiences or the phase of life we are in. Though the recent world events have spread a lot of negativity, we feel it’s important to maintain a positive outlook. As people we try to see the brighter side of circumstances, and it sort of reflects in the music we make.
Your last single, Take Me Home, was a joint venture with Farhan Akhtar. What was it like collaborating with him?
The collaboration with Farhan (Akhtar) came about from a mutual admiration of each other’s works. We first spoke when he wanted to use our track Firefly for the teaser of his upcoming film. We were obviously thrilled. Last year, Anurag (Farhan’s manager) shared with us a scratch of Take Me Home, which Farhan wanted us to give a shot at producing. We got a month’s gap in between our international tours this year, so we spend some time in the studio, and tried to give the song a WCMT flavour. It all came together quite quickly. We met Farhan for the first time when we travelled to Mumbai to record his vocals. He was the nicest person to work with. He even featured with us on stage at our tour gig in Mumbai.
Who would you be keen to collaborate with in the future?
We haven’t really thought about it yet, though collaborations are definitely something we’d love to do for our upcoming songs, especially having not done too many till date. We’re in the process of writing, so a lot depends on the directions the songs take.
The popularity of When Chai Met Toast is partly evident by sold-out live performances and massive streaming figures that have seen you become the most streamed English band in India. What do you attribute this success to?
We wouldn’t call ourselves successful, yet! It’s an ongoing journey and there are so many more things we’d want to achieve as a band and so many more places we want to take our music to. That being said, what we’ve achieved so far has been due to the love our fans have shown us over the years. We often meet people who have attended more than five WCMT gigs. So it’s a tight loyal community. From our end, a lot of hard work and honest songwriting. It was challenging creating a niche for the predominantly English music that we make, but the advent of streaming platforms in India and social media definitely helped.
The band has successfully dipped its toe into the mainstream with a song featured in the movie Friday Night Plan. How does the creative process differ when writing songs for film versus those not for film?
Even though the song was for a movie, we were approached for the WCMT sound. So, the process wasn’t too different, except for some constructive feedback we got from the music supervisors and director, which we were able to incorporate without compromising too much creatively.
Can we expect more of When Chai Met Toast’s music to be featured in future films?
Yes. There is one upcoming Bollywood project that will release in March. It’s a song we feel is one of strongest in terms of songwriting, so we’re looking forward to its release.
Since your debut studio album, When We Feel Young (2021), was released you have shared a slew of singles. When can we expect a new album from the band?
We’re writing some new songs. Whether it’ll be released as singles, and EP or album, we’ll have to see. Waiting for the songs to take shape first!
What is next for the band after your Australian tour?
New music. We’re focusing on spending some studio time after the Australia tour, so hopefully we’re able to release some new material soon. We also plan to do a UK/ EU tour over the summer hopefully.
Interview By Anita Kertes
Catch When Chai Met Toast on the following dates, tickets HERE…
