Yoddha, also known as Sanam Gurung, is a Nepali hip-hop artist. His popular song “Kharab Bani,” uploaded on the Yoddha channel on YouTube in October 2018, has received over 17.1 million views so far. Yoddha will be appearing at the “National Music Awards,” presented by Xtreme Energy Drink, to be held at the end of this week. His new song “Abhiyan” is also available on YouTube. Here is an excerpt from a conversation between Gurung and Rivash Rizal about his personal life, musical career, and future plans.

After spending 16 years in the UK, you are now in Nepal. Why did you come here? Compared to the UK, what differences have you found in creating music in Nepal?

I grew up in the Lekhnath–Begnas Lake area of Pokhara. Now that I have returned to Nepal, I am working from there again. There are many reasons for my return, but the main reason is definitely music. Even though I grew up in Nepal, I actually haven’t seen much of the country. This is the first time I am living in Nepal as an adult. 

I take enough time with my work, which is a good thing. I don’t want the quality of my music to decline. Now I want to be even more consistent in music. All my contemporaries are here in Nepal. Creating music while being inspired by other musicians here is a great experience.

Most of my audience/listeners are also here. It was fine as long as I wasn’t getting any offers, but when offers started coming in, I felt like I was missing out on something. Another reason, as I mentioned earlier, is the desire to travel around the country.

People from all over the country message me saying they like my music, but I often don’t even know where those places are. That’s why I came to Nepal—to meet them and get to know those places up close.

What do you have to say about hip-hop and the changes it has undergone?

Definitely, I want to help advance hip-hop in Nepal. In recent years, some songs have been very successful and people have liked them. But that’s because the music is good, not just because it’s hip-hop. They might not even know that it’s hip-hop or what hip-hop is. If I can contribute even a little to this growing music scene, I will consider my wishes fulfilled.

I am happy to see the development of hip-hop in Nepal in recent years. Now, there are many styles in Nepali hip-hop. This has brought diversity among fans. It shows their interest in music. I think, in the near future, some Nepali artist from this field will become internationally renowned. When that moment comes, it will be a matter of great pride. When I was young, I couldn’t even imagine such a thing.

Your new song “Abhiyan” was released four days ago. Your previous song received over 1.3 million views on YouTube in just three months. How do you view this musical leap?

I haven’t been able to promote “Abhiyan” in the market yet. I know I have some regular listeners who repeatedly listen to and like my new songs. I think it will take time to reach new audiences/listeners.

One issue, which is beyond my control, is that most Nepali music listeners are on YouTube. Previously, there used to be a separate “Trending Page” for Nepali music, but now that doesn’t exist. For artists like me, who are neither just starting out nor extremely famous, the trending page was an excellent way to grow.

Our new songs would appear there, and it would show our presence to the audience/listeners. But now, Nepali music appears on the same trending page as Indian music. This has made things even more difficult.

The same applies to other streaming platforms. They are gradually entering the Nepali market, but none of these platforms have a curated section specifically for Nepali music. If there were, it would be a great help for us artists. There are also no official “music charts” in the country.

Because of this, it’s hard for us artists to gain recognition internationally. We can’t proudly say abroad, “My music was played this many times in my country.” For all these reasons, the number of views “Abhiyan” has received seems natural.

What is “Abhiyan” about?

This song says, “I have arrived.” It says, “Something new is coming, and it starts here.” I want people to listen to it and give me their feedback, so it can help me determine the direction of my music.

I left a career in the British Army, which is a dream for many, to pursue music. I want people to join me on this journey and help me move forward. I have now dedicated myself to this, and I want to leave a significant mark on Nepali hip-hop. If anyone likes an “underdog” story, they must listen to “Abhiyan.”