Musician, singer-songwriter Deepak grew up in a small town called Khopoli in Raigad district of Maharashtra, listening to BobDylan, Lucky Ali, Junoon and Pete Seger. Among such influences he credits this small and fairly young industrial town as a big one to shape his music owing to its unique blend of cross country inhabitants. “Our town had a mix of South Indians, Punjabis, Bengalis and others from all different regions of the country”, says Deepak who prefers to have an artist name with the surname “Peace” in order to avoid speculation on his religious identity.

Peace, 28, describes his interest in poetry and protest music and readily admits that it was the FTII protest in Pune that got him started to write protest songs. His song, “FTII” was sung in the protest march by the students. On asking about whether he plans to continue writing protest songs in an environment that is growingly becoming less and less tolerant, Peace says, “I will continue to write about things that affect me”.

Peace finds himself desiring for more gigs across venues, music festivals and theatre and wishes to be of service to colleges and anybody who needs him for expressing against wrongdoings of authorities. His 13-song-debut-album Aaj Ke Naam, an earnest effort, plays out a sonic canvas of dark imagery and melodic quality that is cinematic in the late Guru-Dutt-ish dreamy manner. The song and its music video “Koi Chara” sums up Peace’s dilemma cushioned in antipathy for things that are wrong and affect the common man, like him. 

Listen to Deepak Peace's debut album Aaj Ke Naam here