Growing up, many of us experienced our first loves. And when words couldn’t put into words what we were feeling, we turned to music. To songs that talked about longing, being in love, heartbreak, insecurity and so much more. Most of these songs though, were picturised or written keeping heteronormativity in mind – a cis man and a cis woman as a couple. But isn’t love a universal feeling and desire?
This is precisely what MTV’s new upcoming album, MTV Beats Love Duet, hopes to showcase and normalise. Touted as the first music album by LBTQIA+ persons, it commemorates September 6, two years since the reading down of section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which was used to criminalise homosexuality . Several artists have come together to write, compose and sing in the album, including singer and performer Sushant Divgikar who goes by the drag queen name Rani Ko-HE-Nur, EDM artist and DJ Ma Faiza, rapper Prachi Kale (Carnic), advertising professional and composer Rtunjya and vocalist Rushik Thakkar.
Speaking to TNM, Sushant says that this is a pathbreaking album because it mainstreams a love that is free and equal. “Love has no boundaries or genders. It doesn’t matter as long as the people are consenting adults. That’s all that counts,” he says. Rtunjya, who has produced three of the songs in the album, adds, “The idea is to ungender love, remove pronouns from it, and show that it is universal.”
The artists believe that this is important, especially for young queer persons, because they did not have queer icons or normalised queer persons and queer love in pop culture to look up to while growing up.
“Most of the time, LGBTQ+ characters were just used for comic relief. Stereotypes are still used as defence mechanisms to not learn more about the community,” Sushant says. He recounts that there were some exceptions as he grew up, such as singer Falguni Pathak, whose songs are popular during garba celebrations on Navratri till date. “To see her, the way she looked, how she would wear a leather jacket and ride a bike into the venue and then go on to sing in that voice… I wanted to grow up and be like her! We need more such people to look up to,” Sushant adds.
Rtunjya also says that it was an isolating experience to figure out that she was not straight and there wasn’t really someone in the entertainment industry that she could look up to either. The 21-year-old says that the root of the problem is that “we think, okay there is ‘straight’, and then there is everyone else.” She also points out though that for any real change to happen, everyone needs to be on board with the fact that something needs to change. “It cannot happen if it’s just a movement that’s happening in tier 1 cities. In smaller towns and cities, it’s not that queer people aren’t there, just that they don’t get support or know what to do. Any movement, to expand and to be inclusive, cannot continue to be elite.”
This is why, to combat the othering of queer persons, to normalise queer lives and identities, and to reach out to the masses, art and culture are important drivers of change, Rtunjya says.
And so, both Sushant and Rtunjya are elated that a mainstream brand like MTV is putting its weight and money behind such an album. “When an MTV takes a stand like this, it helps normalise our experiences further, not just in arts and culture, but also, eventually in perception and policy,” Rtunjya says.
However, this does not mean it is just an album for queer persons. “There’s a universality in love that is relatable for everyone. My song for example, is about being in love with someone but wondering if that feeling is reciprocated. Isn’t that a common experience across the board?” Sushant says. Sushant is also excited to be channelling the ‘90s indi-pop which was his inspiration, much along the lines of Alisha Chinai, Falguni Pathak and others.
Rtunjya has tried to push herself musically with this album too. “There is a different sound to each song, and a different experience of feelings too… whether it is unrequited love, the feeling of being overwhelmed, the feeling of struggling with gender as a concept and much more.” Listeners can expect different genres from the songs too, ranging from disco, to semi-classical and rap, among others.
“I think at this point of time, it’s important for us to understand the need to collaborate rather than divide, and to create an environment that is conducive for that. This is our reality and our life. Even if you can’t accept it, just respect it,” Sushant says.
Songs from the MTV Beats Love Duet album will release throughout the month of September.