Singer-producer Ritviz recently launched a three-part miniseries called Cabin Fever on his YouTube channel. Done in collaboration with Jugaad Motion Pictures, which has directed music videos like Prateek Kuhad’s ‘cold/mess’, it captures the turmoil and restlessness of a pandemic-afflicted world through the lives of two young people. Ritviz talks to THE WEEK about his latest project.
Q\ How have you been keeping yourself busy through the lockdown? Have you been working on new songs or music videos?
A\ [I have been] keeping things simple. I am used to travelling for shows every weekend, so it has honestly been a blessing in disguise because now I get more time to spend at home, work on music and hang out with my folks. I am always working on new music. There is no set formula, I just pick up and work on what inspires me at that moment.
Q\What was the idea behind Cabin Fever? Could you relate to either of the characters or what they were going through?
A\ We were about to cross a million subscribers on YouTube when Jugaad Motion Pictures approached us with the idea for Cabin Fever. It was right at the start of the lockdown and they had already finished shooting the first episode. When I watched it, I instantly fell in love with the story, the characters and its overall presentation. Coping with this lockdown has been extremely hard for everyone, I am sure, just like the characters in the series, but watching it gives me hope that there is something good waiting for us at the end. We just need to stick together and be there for each other.
Q\How did you go about designing the soundscape of the show? What made you select the songs you ended up using on Cabin Fever?
A\ All creative credits for this show go to Pranav (Bhasin, Jugaad’s frequent collaborator) and the team at Jugaad Motion Pictures. They have built this show the way they like it, and that is what I love about it. They put their heart and soul into what they do, and it is visible. I am merely a passenger in this epic journey.
Q\How has the pandemic helped you evolve as a musician?
A\ I have always believed in evolving constantly. This pandemic in particular has made me realise that social media is not everything, and how important human connections are.