Reverb: Shimla’s First All Girls Band Makes its Presence

Ashima Sharma, Keekli Reporter, 12th July, 2014, Shimla

We wish to have the echo of our music felt in the hearts of our listeners !!!

reverb1_sGone are those days when excelling in studies was the only aim in every child’s life. The youth of today prefer being called as all rounders. They have evolved and involved themselves in many different activities be it games or love for music.

Reverb, a band formed by the girls of Convent of Jesus and Mary Shimla, reflects the famous saying by Victor Hugo “Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent”.  The band which was formed in 2009, consists of four girls Neha Bhatia (rhythm/lead guitar), Nonie Ahuja (drums/guitar), Cheshta Santosh (bass guitar), Ananya Thakur (lead / distortions). These young girls grew up listening to English bands like Paramore, Evanescence, Green Day and many more, which build up the foundation of forming a band in their hearts. Amidst the famous emerging rock and pop culture, the band follows the same genre.

reverb2_sOn being asked how they came up with an idea to form a band, Neha, the lead guitarist of the band says, “It all started in the year 2009, when all of us went for guitar classes. We had common tastes in songs and with time we became great friends. We were in high school and each one of us had a spark for learning music and had always dreamt of having a band. We all met during our music classes where we all learnt that we share the same aspirations. During this time we explored our passion for music and took it a step further by forming a band. It was not a very easy decision for us as we all had been learning guitar and we desperately needed a drummer. This problem was sorted out when Nonie decided to learn drums and fit into the role of a drummer in the band”.

reverb3_sThe very first step after forming a band was naming it. Cheshta, the bass guitarist, recalls the time they named the band by saying that, “All of us worked really hard to find an appropriate name for the band and finally came up the word “Reverb”. It is derived from the word reverberation, which is the persistence sound like an echo. We wish to have the echo of our music felt in the hearts of our listeners”.

Ananya added by telling us about their inspiration, “We grew up listening to bands like Linkin Park, Metallica, Green Day and many more who inspired us to learn and strive for excellence in this field”.

reverb5_sDefining the significance of music for the band, drummer Nonie says “Music to us is like oxygen, without which we cannot survive, it is like those cool drops of rain in the scorching heat of the sun, in short music is our life line. As teenagers music has helped us to fight our stress and easily handle the ups and downs of life”.

The band has performed on few stages like the Kalibari Hall in young talent event as guest performers, launch of a home studio at Gaiety Theatre and Shimla Fest 2013 and several times in school.

Behind the success of every child, there are supportive parents. It was a tricky task for the girls to make the parents understand why they wanted to learn music at the first place but gradually they were able to convince them about forming a band continuing their music.

On asking the girls whether music is just a hobby for them or they want to pursue it professionally they said, “It is neither a hobby nor a profession, to us music is our passion. Though we have not done much as yet in the field of music but we are continuously working on our music. Though it is a distant dream but we believe someday we’ll have our own album”.

Reverb has acted as breakthrough in the music scene in Shimla as it is one of the first all girls band which has performed outside school at such a young age. The proud band members work hard as they follow their heart and truly believe in the wise words of Swami Sivanand, ‘Put your heart, mind, and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success’.

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