In an exclusive interview with SCREEN, British singer-songwriter Passenger shared his excitement ahead of his debut India tour this month, discussing the influence of his longtime friend Ed Sheeran and the enduring appeal of his hit single “Let Her Go.”
India has become a major stop for international artists, following the massive success of Coldplay’s performances earlier this year. The upcoming months will see the country play host to a slew of global stars, including Travis Scott, Enrique Iglesias, Linkin Park, John Mayer, Post Malone, and Calvin Harris, among others.
Passenger, whose real name is Mike David Rosenberg, is set to embark on his first-ever tour of India, which will be promoted and produced by BookMyShow. His concerts are scheduled for November 19 in Delhi-NCR, November 21 in Mumbai, and November 22 in Bengaluru. “It’s obviously an incredibly exciting time to be playing in India,” Passenger told SCREEN. “With the digital age and the way people are consuming music now, there are fewer boundaries. That’s such a good thing for music in general. The cross-pollination of cultures can only be a positive thing.”
Having seen the success of other artists, such as Coldplay and Diljit Dosanjh, performing to sold-out stadiums in India, Passenger admits that it has served as great motivation for his own visit. Additionally, his childhood friend, Ed Sheeran, who has recently performed in multiple Indian cities, gave him glowing feedback about his time in India. Passenger and Sheeran have been friends for two decades, having first met when Sheeran was just 15. “We’ve been good friends for 20 years, I imagine. He’s a constant inspiration to me as a person and as a musician. I’ve learned a lot from him,” Passenger says. “He had an amazing time in India and told me all about it, so that really whet my appetite for coming over and playing my concerts there.”
Passenger was also struck by Sheeran’s collaboration with Indian singer Arijit Singh on the track “Sapphire,” where Sheeran captured the beauty and diversity of India. The music video, shot on the road, includes footage from cities like Hyderabad, Kolkata, Goa, Shillong, and Mumbai. Passenger, who has visited India before, is eager to experience more of the country on this tour. “Travel is one of the most important things for inspiration. It pulls you out of your comfort zone and makes you think about the world differently. From the little I’ve seen of India, it’s really good at doing that. It’s so different from what I know and understand. It’s always really helpful to put yourself into a new culture like that,” he shares.
Passenger is also open to collaborating with Indian artists during his visit. “I hope to meet Indian artists and potentially collaborate while I’m there. That would be really good,” he says, though he refrains from naming any potential collaborators.
As he prepares for his upcoming concerts, Passenger is looking forward to what India will bring both in terms of musical inspiration and the opportunity to connect with local fans and artists alike.