“Wise and skilled way, way beyond his years. An engaging, charming unveiling of one of today’s - and tomorrow’s - great artists.” - V13
Some people come to songwriting chasing dreams of fame and fortune. Others find solace from a harsh reality hidden within melody. Seattle-based singer, songwriter, and guitarist Nikhil Bagga comes at the craft from a simpler place. “I was inspired to write my songs”, he explains, “because I have so much fun playing other people’s songs. I thought it would great write my own.”
Only two years into his career, Bagga is winning over fans and critics alike with his undeniable charm and contagious enthusiasm. Deeply connected with music from a young(er) age, Bagga took up guitar at nine so he could learn to play along with his favorites: AC/DC, Ed Sheeran, Ayron Jones, and Queen. His first public performance was busking in San Diego - on his 10th birthday. Only 13 years old, he is a pre-teen human jukebox.
Bagga has gone on to perform at the SMASH Seattle “Songs of Hope” Benefit, the Big Table Benefit supporting restaurant workers impacted by COVID, Russell Wilson’s Why Not You Foundation, and a Seattle Kraken game. With a gift for playing by ear and a passion for melodic exploration, he spent the early days of the pandemic sharing a song a day with his fans, covering artists spanning the pop and rock canon.
Soon, playing covers wasn’t enough to satisfy his passion. Bagga started writing, documenting his daily reality in song. After amassing a catalog of originals, he wanted to find a way to share his music with others. Recorded at Seattle's London Bridge Studios with producer Eric Lilavois (Ayron Jones, Saint Motel, Island Apollo), Bagga released his debut full length recording Leap of Faith in the spring of 2022. The record - featuring drummer Ben Smith (Heart) and bassist Jeff Rouse (Loaded) in addition to Bagga’s vocals and guitar - is a love letter to “thick guitar tones and the 90’s punchy alt rock of Teenage Fanclub and Matthew Sweet.” (Glide)
Leap of Faith is an imminently engaging, effortlessly charming debut from an artist that has a (very) long career ahead of him. No novelty, the record is imbued with the purity and joy that can only be found by embracing and fully inhabiting one’s true passion. A precious thing in its own right, Leap of Faith stands as a reminder that art created for its own sake can be truly freeing and cathartic. Let yourself inhabit Bagga’s musical world and watch the dark clouds drift away.