A tribute to the king of pop

Indie singer, Mihir Joshi finds inspiration in three biggest performers in musical history — Elvis Presley, Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson. Having been an MJ fan since his teenage years, the singer has performed tributes to the king of pop on several occasions earlier and is all set to do so again.

Telling us about his passion for MJ, he says, “It was a major kick to realise that my initials are the same as Michael Jackson’s. One of my biggest regrets till date is that I missed his concert when he performed live in Mumbai. I was in my tenth standard and my mother thought that I was too young to go.” Although Mihir has been a part of several tribute concerts in the past, he is mainly known for his own album, Mumbai Blues, which is a mix of blues and rock. “I’ve been focusing on doing blues rock singles and covers with my current outfit, the Mihir Joshi Band. Playing this tribute comes as a welcome change.” The former AIR jockey reminisces about how he first got into the music scene by interviewing other bands on radio. “The indie scene has changed a lot since I first began,” he says. “With better technology, it is easier for bands to record and upload their music now. Also, in the past two years, there has been an explosion of indie music. I’ve had just as enthusiastic a response to my original material as I’ve had for covers.” While one can expect to hear a number of MJ favourites this Thursday, Mihir promises to colour the performances with his own blues-rock style. “I am not a Michael Jackson impersonator in any way,” says Mihir as he signs off. On June 23, 8.30 pm onwards, At Hard Rock Cafe, Andheri Tickets: Rs 500