Born into a family of four, where every other member is a musician including his  father, mother and sister, this humble 21 year old singer songwriter took his calling for music on a serious note just a year ago. Though a new entrant as an artist, his soulful rendition of melody and heartfelt lyrics makes him a star already. His voice can slide into the slow 70’s jazz while also gracefully blending into the peppy pop beats.

We sat down to get personal with this young local talent from Nagaland to talk about his roots, musical inspirations and more.

• Hello Abdon, please introduce yourself.

I am Abdon Mech from Thahekhu Village, Dimapur in Nagaland. I am 21 years old and an aspiring singer/songwriter. I completed my Bachelor’s degree in English and will be pursuing my Masters in the same soon.

• Introduce us to your work. What got you started?

Music started very very late for me and unlike most stories, I did not grow up wanting/knowing to be a musician even though both my parents were musicians and my sister is currently doing her Bachelors in Music. Until I was 19, I was in hostel so I never got exposed to the world outside. Growing up I wanted to be an athlete. After 12th grade, my home church gave a platform that allowed me to discover and develop the musician inside me. I am really humbled and honored to be featured here – in the same platform where many renowned musicians have already been featured. Honestly, I don’t see myself coming anywhere close to their talent and caliber but truly appreciate this.

• What initially sparked your interest in music?

I think I wrote a blatant few songs before until I took part in Warehouse Worship Resource School founded by Jack Pucho and his wife Annie Pucho. I took some classes on songwriting and it’s only been a year or so that allowed me to think seriously and focus on it. I haven’t stopped writing since then.

• You are a full-time student, so how do you balance your studies and hobby?

Yes, I am a full-time student and sometimes it tends to get challenging but it’s not that hard for a writer. You can write anything anywhere. I try to sneak in between lectures too 😀

“Adding the melody to the song takes time and attention but I do believe that if you are really passionate about something, you will always have time for it even if the circumstances don’t seem to align along.”

Feat Snippets #2 Here's an original that I wrote some time ago. I hope it tells you a story, maybe your story. I am open to feedbacks and criticisms so please feel free to leave a comment. Thank you for the love everyone. #songwriter #original #local #naga

A post shared by Abdon Mech (@abdonmech) on May 14, 2018 at 10:26am PDT

• So you are already a talented songwriter as well – for someone who just started. Where do you get your inspiration from?

Inspiration is free flowing in the way you see things/ situations, people and their stories, my life events, the morning sun or just anything could light the bulb. Occasionally, there are times when I push myself to churn out the creativity from within without having to only depend on an external force for inspiration. Irrespective of genres, I take inspiration of songwriting from United Pursuit, Bethel Music, John Mayer, Bruno Major and local artists like Tali Angh Sir, Toka, Imliakum, Jonathan Yhome etc to name a few.

• What do you hope people take away from your Music?

In all honesty, I haven’t figured out that yet. I think that just sums up how new and naive I am to music but the ultimate goal is to leave an impact on someone through my music. I think there is no better feeling or compliment than knowing that a friend/stranger has been impacted by your song. From personal experiences, I have had many songs spoke to an extent of making me feel better about myself and the situation. I hope that the same transcends through my music to somebody, someday.

• Can you single out an original song from your work which you are particularly proud of and why?

I am not a professional yet so I put my work on SNS and I don’t know if anyone can relate to it but personally, there’s a song called “Worth” that’s very special and dear to me. It’s about the journey of a person from a state of addictions, hopelessness, and loss of identity to being saved by grace. I am pretty confident that the song will resonate with a lot of people going through that phase.

“There’s a song called “Worth” that’s very special and dear to me. It’s about the journey of a person from a state of addictions, hopelessness, and loss of identity to being saved by grace. I am pretty confident that the song will resonate with a lot of people going through that phase.”

• When was the most memorable moment you had on stage and why?

I don’t have the luxury of having many shows or performances since it’s been barely a year taking music seriously but I have been fortunate to share my journey in a few places. I remember some months ago, I think it was Pilgrim School when I was standing on the stage sharing my story and my song with the students I flash-backed on how I would be inspired by different people/artists that visited my school. Now that the roles reversed, I didn’t necessarily feel proud about it but I think ‘grateful’ is the right word. I was and am grateful that life brought me to a place where I could give back and I truly hope I impacted and inspired at least one kid from all the schools I’ve been to. That moment on stage holds very dearly to my heart.

Here is Abdon’s very own original called “Last One”.

Follow him on Instagram @abdonmech for more of his originals and cover songs!