JACOB COLLIER: "AN INDIAN CROWD IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER CROWD IN THE WORLD"

The British multi-instrumentalist and vocalist looks back at his three-city India tour and ahead to the release of his next album 'Djesse Vol. 4 in 2024'

- Anurag Tagat

IF YOU’RE IN a Jacob Collier audience – like the thousands who were present at his soldout solo piano shows in India this past week – then, in his eyes, you’re a musician. “I think that everybody in the world is a musician, really. As long as they have ears and they’re open, everyone knows and understands the language of music,” the Grammy-winning British artist says over an audio call.

He’s still in Bengaluru, where he closed off his three-city run of shows as part of his India tour put together by ticketing platform Skillbox. The night prior, Collier created an audience choir – a staple at his solo sets so far – amidst rain and over 2,000 people were indulging him. “It’s been a really fun week,” Collier says about his return to India, where he first performed two sold-out shows at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai in 2019.

There are two more shows in Asia this week in Shanghai and Jakarta and then, Collier will likely appear on touring circuits only in April 2024, after the release of his fifth album Djesse Vol. 4 on February 29th. The album – which has so far seen singles like “Never Gonna Be Alone,” “Wellll,” “Little Blue” and most recently, “Wherever I Go” – was finished just a few days ago in Mumbai. “It’s the album I’m most proud of ever having made,” Collier says in his warm voice.

In an interview with Rolling Stone India, Collier talks about coming back to India, incorporating audience choirs from around the world into Djesse Vol. 4 and more. Excerpts: