Exclusive: Priya Malik: “It’s important for us as a society to discard the notion of the “starving artist” especially in the South- Asian communities”

In a traditional setup like India, many parents still manage to badger their children into pursuing so-called more “secure” and “stable” careers like doctors and engineers. The last thing they want their children to do is to opt for a career in fields like music, poetry, or other forms of performing arts for they wrongly believe all artists lead a hand-to-mouth existence.

Renowned Indian poet Priya Malik wants to change that notoriously imprecise notion about artists. She has become the first Indian poet to launch an NFT and hopes other artists follow suit soon. She has also launched her poetry on a similar platform, WazirX. For the uninitiated, NFT and WazirX are the marketplaces that allow artists to sell digital art via non-fungible tokens (NFTs) online. These channels help eliminate paying a lot of intermediaries and connect people to people.

Talking exclusively to Eastern Eye, Malik tells us how platforms like NFT and WazirX can help artists augment their income and gain more control over their work, life in midst of the coronavirus pandemic, and how the pandemic helped her reassess her relationships with friends and family members.

You have become the first Indian poet to launch an NFT. Tell us more about the same and how it is going to help more artists?

I am really excited to be the first Indian poet to launch an NFT and really hope that other artists and poets can also see value in it. I believe it is very important for us as a society to discard the notion of the “starving artist”, especially in the South- Asian communities. There is a reason why our parents deter us from becoming artists, that is because they feel that only doctors and engineers make money and it is about time, we change that. So, the next time a desi kid says she wants to grow up and pursue art, we should know she will be “minting” money.

What was the thought behind it?

It is imperative to combine art with technology. We are a software nation after all. I took my poetry from the page to stage (YouTube) and that's how it reached the world, and I see NFTs in a similar way. It not only helps me in authenticating my art but also puts a unique identifier on my work and pays me for what I do best, i.e., poetry!

What are your thoughts on WazirX? How is it helping the artist to earn money in the pandemic?

WazirX has been a boon to the Indian artists community, not just by launching NFTs but also by spreading education and awareness around it. It is absolutely lovely seeing artists become more financially literate, especially the Indian/Asian women on the NFT circuit!

What are your views on the Cryptocurrency market and how is it associated with WazirX?

I think Cryptocurrency is a great tool to take the power of your money back into your hands without dealing with a centralised authority. I see it is an integral part of portfolio diversification when it comes to investments and WazirX has made the process simple and transparent for me. I find their approach to Crypto and NFTs extremely authentic and genuine in spreading awareness and not just focussing on sale targets.

Tell us a bit about your poetry which you launched on WazirX.

I have minted some of my most popular poems as NFTs and it includes digital art by my partner Karan Bakshi. These NFTs are even more special because you'll see a labour of our love that has been converted into a piece of art. You know, my favourite poet Amrita Pritam used to write poetry and her lover Imroz used to illustrate it with drawings, K and I are doing exactly that, albeit in a digital format!

What is also special about my NFTs is that it's a unique amalgamation of poetry, audio and digital art, something that I have personally not seen anyone else does yet!

How is life after being under siege at home amid the Coronavirus pandemic?

I have always been a believer of slow living. To be honest, I am still looking for 1999 in 2021. Obviously, I come from a place of privilege to be able to say that the pandemic helped me slow down and really focus more on my everyday life and family connections. However, I do miss travelling and reconnecting with nature.

Have you started transitioning back to work after lockdown or are you still working from home?

I have done quite a few shoots from home since lockdown. In fact, I have become an expert when it comes to creating my own shooting set up at home! So yes, the pandemic has also taught me that skill. I did go to Ladakh for a bit to shoot for my upcoming Netflix original but have stayed put in Mumbai due to the high levels of infection.

How will be the post-lockdown version of Priya Malik?

With a few kilos extra! Hahaha. I have been cooking and eating some delicious food during the lockdown. However, seriously speaking, I have been meaning to do a pan-India tour with my poetry for a long time with a one-hour solo show, so hopefully, you'll see that taking place. It's been on my to-do list for a while!

What is the most important lesson the pandemic has taught you?

Minimalism. The idea that we can be happy with lesser things, and I think that is a really important lesson.

This period must have given you an opportunity to reassess your relationships with friends and family members…

Indeed. To be honest, I have always been a homebody and I do almost all of my writing at home too, but the pandemic also helped me reconnect with some of my distant relatives who I usually haven't been able to stay in touch with due to our busy work schedules. I live with my partner, so I definitely missed the parents a lot more than usual, but thanks to technology (subtle plug) video calls were a saving grace!

What kind of impact do you think the Coronavirus pandemic will have on the music industry in the long run?

Even though a lot of virtual gigs have happened, nothing can match the intensity of being on stage and seeing real people, rather than people on screen. In fact, that's the beauty of live performers. I do see a resurgence happening soon but I think it will depend on when the pandemic allows us to do so.