| Prateek Kuhad | |
| Birth Date: | 1990 3, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Jaipur, Rajasthan, India |
| Origin: | Jaipur, India |
| Genre: | Indie folk |
| Years Active: | 2011–present |
| Label: | Elektra Records |
Prateek Kuhad is an Indian singer-songwriter and musician who makes independent music in Hindi and English.[1] [2] [3] He is best known for his track "cold/mess".
Kuhad was born in Jaipur, Rajasthan, and has two sisters. He learnt to play the guitar at age 16 and started songwriting in his late teens. He graduated high school at Maharaja Sawai Man Singh Vidyalaya, in Jaipur. Later, he studied Maths and Economics at New York University before moving to Delhi to pursue a full-time career in music.[4]
After graduating from New York University, Kuhad returned to India and released his first EP, the self titled Prateek Kuhad, and Raat Raazi in 2013.[5] His debut album, In Tokens & Charms, was released in 2015.[6] [7] He also signed a publishing deal with Los Angeles–based company Cutcraft Music.[8] Kuhad became the first Indian artist to be signed by the American record label Elektra Records in 2020.[9]
Kuhad released his third album, The Way That Lovers Do, on May 20, 2022.[10]
During his time in NYU, Kuhad discovered Elliott Smith's music, which had a great influence on him. He then discovered other singer-songwriters such as Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie along with newer artists like Laura Marling and Fleet Foxes.[11] These artists inspired him to get better at guitar and start writing his own songs. These went on to become his major influences.
Kuhad was comfortable with communicating in both English and Hindi from the start and has been writing in both the languages. In his childhood, as there was no internet service, he predominantly listened to Indian pop and Bollywood music and only occasionally to Western music. He is also said to be inspired from a kid of the same name as his whose vocals were outstanding, sometime during his visit to UP. He was also inspired by Lucky Ali.[12] The acoustic guitar is Kuhad's primary instrument, but he also plays piano and electric guitar. His music leans towards Americana and folk genres with acoustic sounds and unconventional song structures for the most part. His music has been praised as being "beautifully haunting" by Us Weekly and his vocals as being "angelic" by BrooklynVegan.
He mostly writes about love, relationships and his experiences, with vague lyrics that are open to interpretation.[13]
Kuhad's 2018 song "cold/mess" was featured on former US president Barack Obama's "Favorite Music of 2019" list.[14] [15] [16]
| Year | Album / EP | Track |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Prateek Kuhad | Something Wrong |
| Rubber Bits | ||
| A Shot of Alcohol | ||
| 2013 | Raat Raazi | Ab Hoga Kya |
| Raat Raazi | ||
| Chahe Ya Na Chahe | ||
| Voh | ||
| Yeh Pal | ||
| 2015 | In Tokens & Charms | Oh Love |
| Holding On | ||
| Flames | ||
| Into the Night | ||
| Go | ||
| Fire | ||
| Held You Tight | ||
| Be At Ease | ||
| Cold Shoulders | ||
| Artist | ||
| 2017 | In Token & Charms(Deluxe Version) | Oh Love |
| Holding On | ||
| Flames | ||
| Into The Night | ||
| Go | ||
| Fire | ||
| Held You Tight | ||
| Be At Ease | ||
| Cold Shoulders | ||
| Artist | ||
| Tonight | ||
| Big Surprise | ||
| Just To Be With You | ||
| Flames - Piano Version | ||
| 2019 | cold/mess | with you/for you |
| did you/fall apart | ||
| cold/mess | ||
| for your time | ||
| fighter | ||
| 100 words | ||
| cold/mess - edit | ||
| 2021 | Shehron Ke Raaz | Shehron Ke Raaz |
| Khone Do | ||
| Tere Hi Hum | ||
| Kasoor - Acoustic | ||
| 2022 | The Way That Lovers Do | All I Need |
| Hollow | ||
| Favorite Peeps | ||
| Co2 | ||
| Face | ||
| Just A Word | ||
| Drown | ||
| The Last Time | ||
| Heartbroken | ||
| Bloom | ||
| Full Time Lover | ||
| 2023 | The Way That Lovers Do (Deluxe Version) | All I Need |
| Hollow | ||
| Favorite Peeps | ||
| Co2 | ||
| Face | ||
| Just A Word | ||
| Drown | ||
| Heartbroken | ||
| Bloom | ||
| Full Time Lover | ||
| Hopelessly | ||
| I Never Knew | ||
| Bloom(feat. Raveena) | ||
| All I Need - acoustic | ||
| Hollow - acoustic | ||
| Just A Word - acoustic | ||
| The Last Time - acoustic | ||
| Heartbroken - acoustic | ||
| Mulaqat | Mulaqat | |
| O Piya | ||
| Kuch Din | ||
| Hum Dono | ||
| Janeman | ||
| Year | Track | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Kho Gaye Hum Kahan | Released as part of the soundtrack of the movie "Baar Baar Dekho" |
| Tune Kaha | ||
| Dil Beparwah | Collaboration between Ankur Tewari & Prateek KuhadReleased as part of The Dewarists - Season 5, Episode 3 | |
| 2017 | Tum Jab Paas | |
| 2018 | Saansein | Released as part of the soundtrack of the movie "Karwaan" |
| Kadam | ||
| 2020 | Pause | |
| Kasoor | ||
| Kahaan Ho Tum | Released as part of the soundtrack of the Netflix show "Mismatched" | |
| The Biggest Lie (Elliott Smith remake) | ||
| 2021 | cold/mess (on piano) | |
| 2023 | Hopelessly | |
| Kaisi Jadugari | ||
| Mere Sang feat.Lisa Mishra | Collaboration between Lisa Mishra & Prateek Kuhad | |
| Co2 – Acoustic | ||
| Kho Gaye Hum Kahan(Lofi Mix) | Lofi Mix of the soundtrack Kho Gaye Hum Kahan from the movie "Baar Baar Dekho" | |
| Mulaqat | Released as a single but part of the episode "Mulaqat" | |
| O Piya | Released as a single but part of the episode "Mulaqat" | |
| 2024 | No Complaints | |
| Year | Film | Song | Composer(s) | Singer(s) | Writer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Baar Baar Dekho | Kho Gaye Hum Kahan | Jasleen Royal | Jasleen Royal, Prateek Kuhad | Prateek Kuhad |
| 2018 | Karwaan | Saansein | Prateek Kuhad | ||
| Kadam | |||||
| Lust Stories | Tu Kaha | ||||
| 2020 | Mismatched | Kaahan Ho Tum | |||
| 2021 | Ajeeb Daastaans | Kuch Na Kaho | |||
| Dhamaka | Kasoor – Acoustic | ||||