Max Kate is an Indian music director, producer, composer, singer-songwriter and a “Musical Time Traveller” from the peaceful grounds of Uttarakhand. From writing solo indie songs to working behind the scenes on OTT productions, Max’s musical experience is as intimate as it is vast. Max started learning the piano at the age of four, and then pursued electronic music production and DJ-ing at Lost Stories Academy in Mumbai. Motivated by passion, he dropped out of school after the 10th grade to dedicate himself to music. His music is typically based on acoustic guitars, soothing piano melodies, and airy tones — painting moments of travel, heartbreak, happiness, and nostalgia onto a canvas like brushstrokes.
Now, Max releases his most intimate work yet — the six-track EP Sunflowers & Dreams — a collection three years in the making, deeply ingrained in his own experiences.
Journey etched in time: The making of Sunflowers & Dreams
Creating Sunflowers & Dreams was never about creating music. It was about capturing life as it happened — the whirlwind rush of first love, the weight of emotional breakdown and the pain of memories that linger after relationships have ended. Each of the six tracks is a sonic snapshot — recording raw, exposed moments in Max’s life.
“I don’t sit down and write songs for the sake of it. I write after something real has happened — something that affects me deeply. Every song is a snapshot of those real feelings.”
The EP takes us through an emotional rollercoaster — from carefree romance to heartbreak and healing. But at its core is a quiet strength, a reminder that every moment, even hurt, has beauty worth remembering.
Storytelling in pictures: Music videos that reflect emotions
The visual supporting pieces to the EP are equally intimate and multi-layered. Working with Platmine Studio, the music video for Young Again was directed by Garvit Arora and executed by Abhas Rawat in Delhi. It is played out Max’s life in three acts — at the ages of 15, 18 and 21 — presenting a young man defined by athletics, transitory girlfriends, nightclubs and finally, loneliness and introspection. By the age of 21, the imagery turns symbolic — “a knife and the only gun” symbolise his honed beliefs and toughened emotional resilience. At the end of the video, he utters a vow in earnest: never to love again. But the nagging question lingers — will he fulfill that vow?
Then, Gum Gaye was filmed by director Rambo Kherwal and his crew based in Mumbai along the serene beaches of Alibag. It tells the emotional rhythm of the song — a tale about losing oneself with a loved one in life’s journey. “It’s about floating into the unknown, not worrying about tomorrow and allowing memories sew themselves into your heart,” Max says. The setting of the sea is used as a metaphor for emotional release, transience, and liberty.
Sound design: Where emotion meets precision
One of the most defining virtues of Sunflowers & Dreams is in its recording — pristine, rich and emotionally nuanced. Benefiting from the cooperative collaboration with Platmine Studio, every track maintains the essence of Max’s original conception yet heightens the overall quality of sound. The studio has evolved into a sanctuary for indie musicians who crave both technical craftsmanship and emotional honesty.
What lies ahead: A blooming musical odyssey
While Sunflowers & Dreams closes one chapter in emotions, it also introduces us to fresh beginnings. Max has dreams of touring the EP — playing in India’s scenic towns and cities like Nainital, Pondicherry, Shillong and Manali. The aim: to touch the hearts that resonate with these songs the most. New singles follow too — songs born of heartbreak, travel, inner explorations, and life’s perpetual change. “If Sunflowers & Dreams taught me anything,” Max says, “it’s that sometimes you have to break a little to dream again.”
He leaves listeners with one last reminder: “Go find what makes you feel lost. Adore the moment. Fall, get up again, and live like never before.”
