Tejal Sinha
The Indian hip-hop and indie music scene has been steadily evolving, with artistes fearlessly experimenting and blending genres to carve out new sonic landscapes. Enter 5 Baje—a track that seamlessly fuses rap, R&B and indie vibes, bringing together the distinct styles of The Siege, Natiq and Shy Wry. More than just a song, 5 Baje is a testament to artistic collaboration, vulnerability and breaking creative boundaries.
In an exclusive conversation with The Pioneer, the trio delves into the meaning behind their stage names, their dynamic creative process, and how 5 Baje fits into India’s ever-expanding underground music movement. They also share insights on navigating the fine balance between artistry and industry, the influence of genre-fluidity in modern music and what’s next on their sonic journeys.
Excerpts from the interview
The Siege: Your stage name ‘The Siege’ is bold and powerful. What’s the meaning behind it, and how does it represent your journey in hip-hop?
My government name is Siegen. I just shortened it to Siege, there’s no deeper meaning behind this to be honest.
Natiq: Your name, Natiq, means ‘eloquent speaker.’ How did you come up with it, and do you feel it represents your artistic identity?
My nanu named me after the Urdu poet Ali Akbar Natiq. I had always liked how it was not a very common name, so I decided to release music under it, it also made it more personal. I’m not much of a speaker though, I’m very introverted. As an artist, I strive to put together sounds that communicate emotions clearly and powerfully, maybe like an eloquent speaker would. In that way, my name feels like a perfect fit for what I do.
Shy Wry: Your name Shy Wry has an interesting contrast. What’s the story behind it, and does it reflect something personal about you?
I’ve always had a shy personality when it comes to expression. However, I felt this nature contrasted with the kind of craft and dealings I was going to be engaged in. In 2018, I finally decided to start putting my songs out on YouTube. I had to come up with a name, and I knew I wasn’t going to go official with my government name. “Shy,” as the word suggests, means reserved or quiet and “Wry” means disappointment. This name serves as a constant reminder that I would be an utter disappointment to myself if I shy away—remaining unexpressive in my craft.
The Siege: 5 Baje is an exciting collaboration blending rap, R&B, and indie. How did you approach crafting your verse for this track?
I just heard this instrumental in my head and thought of mixing it up a little bit. The verse came to me naturally at 5 AM, the usual hours for introspection.
Natiq: 5 Baje sees you blending your signature R&B sound with rap and indie vibes. How did you ensure your style stood out on the track?
I think it was more about letting all three artist’s styles naturally blend than trying to make a particular style stand out. I prefer letting everyone do their thing and seeing where it goes, and most of the time, it falls into place. That was the case with 5 Baje as well.
Shy Wry: 5 Baje is a fusion of multiple genres. What was your role in shaping the track’s overall sound?
It’s common for modern-day artists to move away from being confined to a single genre. However, they are often boxed into categories for the sake of nomenclature and classification.
We don’t aim to serve that purpose or create more confusion—we’re simply dedicated to delivering a fused blend of fresh sounds. You can take this as a hint that more genre-bending music is on the way. Our approach was never restricted; we simply brought the best of our capabilities to the table and let the results speak for themselves.
The Siege: The underground hip-hop scene in India is constantly evolving. How do you think 5 Baje fits into this movement?
I’m hoping it encourages rappers to be a little more vulnerable in their songs and think of newer ways to collaborate. We’ve also made sure we introduce something new in every part of the song, and I hope it encourages such innovation even more.
Natiq: The song carries a unique energy. What was the creative process like, and how did you and The Siege complement each other on this track?
Siege has been a frequent collaborator for a while now and we’ve always tried to create something out of our comfort zone each time. The song started with a rough idea of the instrumental that I shared with Siege. I remember talking to him about creating something with Pop / R&B elements sometime during the making of our project Bhaagna, Chhupna, Doobna as well. The process is usually like a call-and-response thing—I send over the instrumental, he writes and records over it, then I do additional arrangement/production over it, and it was the same for this one. We bounced ideas off each other and figured things out as we went. For example, after we had the vocals laid out, Siege suggested we try adding saxophone runs towards the end of the song. It worked out beautifully and gave the track a perfect ending.
Shy Wry: This song brings together artists from different backgrounds. How did that influence your creative approach to 5 Baje?
We can’t really quantify who brought what and in what quantity. The whole process was all over the place. The beat went lying around for months on my WhatsApp until it was the right time to write on it. The process was like fishing for me—I waited. For Natiq or Siege, I’m sure the process would’ve been quite different as well.
The Siege: Your discography has a mix of hard-hitting rap and introspective tracks. Do you see yourself experimenting with new sounds like 5 Baje more often?
I am working on stepping out of my comfort zone a little more often. I’m also trying to open up to collaborating with people and blending multiple talents together as a songwriter. So yeah, I hope the experimentation never stops.
Natiq: R&B is still an emerging genre in India. Do you think 5 Baje will help bridge the gap between rap, indie, and mainstream audiences?
I tend to not see music as something bound by genres, as an artist and a listener both. I’ve always approached music with an open mind. With 5 Baje, the goal wasn’t to fit into a specific category but to create something that feels authentic, fresh, and something we enjoy making as well. I think a lot of Indian artists have chosen to not be bound by genres and experiment with all kinds of sounds in recent times and 5 Baje is just another step in that direction.
Shy Wry: Balancing music and studies at IIM Rohtak must be challenging. How do you manage both, and do they ever influence each other?
We have a trimester system here, so each year we have three terms to devour (or survive). I’ve been at this institute long enough to understand the intensity of its demanding hours each term. I time and manage my musical pursuits and academic submissions accordingly. Not a joke, it really was exhausting—sometimes unrewarding. Now that my MBA is over, I’m dedicated to creating and delivering more music in the coming months.
I’ve always tried to but failed to coordinate these two spheres simultaneously. Academics and music are like disjoint sets; they just can’t coexist together for me. But it’s not over for me—I’ll continue this personal research to find the relationships between the two. Maybe those Venns will meet someday.
