Up Dharma Down rehearsing "Tadhana"

What advice can you give to bands that are just starting out?

Just be yourself, maintain a sense of self-respect because you'll be meeting a lot of people from all walks of life, situations you never thought you'd ever get into, mostly ones you never thought possible, would test you. I say this because I'm not perfect and I've made quite a few mistakes, but what's important is you learn from them. If at any point you reach a status where you'll have to be exposed to the public, a point where it's uncontrollable, just keep in mind what you stand for and don't forget your roots and bits of advice from your parents and older friends—you go back to these people when the show's all over.

How have you evolved as an artist?

For as long as there’s movement in you, there’s evolution happening, whether it’s regression or subtle progressions. My horizons have expanded, and I've learned that not everything you hear from people you look up to may necessarily apply to you, but because it doesn't apply, doesn't mean it's wrong. There are just things that work and don't work for certain people.

Are you aware that many people look up to you?

No, not really. Perhaps the band as a whole, and the singer in me, I’d like to believe that we're still very under-the-radar as personalities. Our music is probably seven times more popular than us as individuals. We're a team of four who are of equal billing.

What piece of advice can you give to those who look up to you?

Life's too short to be unhappy all the time, so if you know what truly makes you happy, you have to go and get it. Don't make money the center of your being. Hang with people who know how to live life before you lose your youth and vibrance, but know your limits. Also learn how to stick up for yourself because if you don't, there might come a time when nobody will, just because life has the uncanny ability to surprise us when we least expect.

What do you do during your downtime?

I spend a good amount of time being by myself unless friends drag me out of my hole. A lot of time walking and talking in my head. My job entails a lot of going out and being with people so I don’t see the need to replicate it on a normal basis.

What’s a regular day for you like?

I wake up, get some tea, go to the studio. If I’m lucky, I finish a song. Some days I really just spend alone and show up at gigs at night.

What other projects are you working on?

I’m still working on my clothing line but I’ve set it aside since I started writing songs for the third album. Maybe when were done recording I can focus on it again.