Panvi Podder’s single “Story to tell” breaks the myth of marriages ending in “Happily ever after”.

The expectation of a “happily ever after” marriage has weighed heavily on our culture from the dawn of civilization. It’s also true that the pressure hasn’t been lessened by social media commitments. Every wedding season is transformed into a spectacle for the entire world to see, from real-time updates from Ground Zero to fashionable hashtags. But how does life look after a celebration? When our “normal” lives continue, we lose sight of the importance of pausing to listen to, comprehend, and interact with our loved ones. when the voyage, which everyone set out on with confidence, unwittingly diverges. Two of these protagonists, who realise how their journey has taken an undesirable turn and wish to make amends, are the subject of this song. How they have a universal “story to tell”

We did an interview with the artist over a cup of coffee about this latest release, here’s what they had to say!

Tell us about your track

‘Story to Tell’ recognises the societal pressures of masking troubled marriages and hopes for the protagonists to find back the bond they once shared.The creation of this song spans across 3 countries: written & composed by Panvi Podder in Ireland, keys played by Archit Anand in India and produced, mixed and mastered by Ananda Dhar-James in the U.S, along with playing the guitars & bass. Backing vocals have been provided by Piya Podder, Archit Anand and Agransh Anand in India & Ireland respectively. The artwork and official music video on YouTube had been created by Pooja Srinivasan. Special mentions for Artist Images to Gaurav Dobhal and for Studio Recordings to Tinpot Studios (Dublin) and Barun Sinha (Eastwind Academy of Advanced Music & Performance, India).

Tell us your inspiration behind this track

The song was written in December 2020, months after the world was hit by the pandemic. This period saw millions around the world spending a lot more waking hours with each other at home. While many people I know, enjoyed the phase of discovering new things about their partners during this time, few also faced adjustment challenges. Small disagreements would escalate into longer lasting fights, until couples simply grew apart emotionally. But they all continue to portray themselves as ‘happily married’ due to societal pressure. Pondering over the duplicity, I realised this is a modern day version of a problem that has existed for generations. I’ve grown up knowing lots of couples unhappy behind closed doors, but continuing to paint a different picture outside, for years. My song is an attempt to recognise this reality and build hope for the protagonists to continue together only because they want to, and not because they have to

How long did it take to record the track album EP ?

1 year from writing the song to recording and publishing

What is the meaning behind the lyrics?

Since time immemorial, the pressure of a “happily ever after” marriage has loomed large on our society. And it’s fair to say that the obligations of social media have not made the pressure any lesser. From live ground zero updates to trendy hashtags, every wedding season becomes a spectacle for the world to witness. But what does a post-celebratory life look like? When our ‘regular’ lives resume, where we forget to pause, hear, understand and communicate with our loved ones. When the journey that started off together with aplomb, unknowingly takes separate courses. This song is about two such protagonists, who realise how their journey has taken an unfortunate turn and they yearn to make amends. How they have a “story to tell” that transcends the boundaries of a societal facade.

What brings next after this release?

Inspired after launching my debut single, I’m keen to revisit couple of compositions from the past I never formally published. I’ve also been toying around with few Hindi & English song ideas with my husband Agransh, during home jams since we moved to Ireland. Currently half baked, I’d love to formalise something from there. Until then I’ll be continuing to post covers on my YouTube Channel, both solo and collaborations with family & friends across India & Ireland