This father-son duo is keeping Goa's musical legacy alive

Whenever Sigmund de Souza strums his guitar and sings, the air around becomes thick with nostalgia and time takes a breather. His tall presence reminds you of a Goa where, besides the talk of the day's fish catch, the only other discussion veered around music.

A veteran of Goa's music scene, Sigmund's journey with unplugged music began in 1988 at the legendary Haystack Restaurant in Arpora, then the epicentre of live music in Goa.

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WHERE THE JOURNEY BEGAN

Owned by the illustrious August Braganza of Symphony fame, Haystack was the kind of venue that drew in the best. Here, Sigmund got to brush shoulders with Goa's musical greats like Remo Fernandes, Alexandre Rosario, Lucio Miranda and many others.

Though Haystack had a big part to play in what Sigmund is today, it was an earlier encounter in 1987 that truly inspiredhis passion. "At a Christmas dance in Mapusa, I heard Alexandre Rosario play solo with just an acoustic guitar," Sigmund recalls. "I was so amazed by his performance, that I knew then and there what I wanted to do for the rest of my life."

THOSE WERE THE DAYS: Sigmund at a gig in Clube Vasco Da Gama, Panjim, in 1994.

Through the decades, Sigmund carved a niche with his solo performances that are raw, heartfelt, and powerfully simple. Armed with an acoustic guitarand the ability to captivate an audience with minimal amplification, he found meaning in intimate gatherings.

"If I get the right crowd, say ten or fifteen people willing to stay silent while I sing, that, to me, is the most exciting opportunity."

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WHAT'S MISSING IN MUSIC TODAY

But not all is harmony. With the proliferation of karaoke acts and one-man-band routines using pre-recorded tracks, the essence of liveacoustic music, he feels, is being drowned out.

"People now treat musicians like human jukeboxes," he says with quiet frustration. "They don't come to listen anymore. They come to entertain themselves and demand what they think is music."

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SIGMUND'S MUSICAL COMPASS

Still, Sigmund has never chased trends. Whether performing Latin classics, Konkani ballads, English retro pop, or his own originals like Hello This is Goa and Wandering Guy, his devotion to his music is unshaken. He doesn't have any single favourite, though he loves to sing Molbailo Dou from the yesteryear Konkani movie, Amchem Noxib.     

And when asked about playing in noisy restaurant spaces, he responds with honesty: "It's tough. But I pick and choosemy venues. At this stage in my life, I can afford to. Young musicians don’t always have that privilege."

WITH MUSIC IN THEIR VEINS: Sigmund and son Keanu steal the spotlight whenever they sing.

WHERE MUSIC RUNS DEEP

One of the more heartfelt developments in recent years has been sharing the stage with his son, Keanu. A gifted vocalist in his own right, Keanu grew up immersed in music. "Even when he was six months old, he was responding to our rehearsals," Sigmund reminisces.

Though Keanu showed early signs of musical genius correcting his father's timing, winning college competitions, and mastering various songs,  it was only later that he chose to perform publicly. "He surprised me when he decided to singwith me," Sigmund says, pride unmistakable. "I’ve guided him a lot, yes, but I also give him the space to find his own rhythm."

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IN HIS FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS

Earlier, Keanu surprised everyone by winning a school competition and then later, the prestigious Vem Cantar Portuguesesinging contest in the 16- 20 age-group and that's the time Sigmund saw the performer begin to emerge. Yet, it took time.

“It was nerve-wracking at first,” Keanu admits. “You’ve got to remember everything and play flawlessly. But my father gave me the space to ease into it. I just stepped in and it clicked.”

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FINDING HIS OWN FOOTING

Was it intimidating to perform alongside a father so well known on Goa’s music scene? “At first, yes. You feel like you have to live up to it. But not anymore. Now, it’s just music. We share the stage as musicians,” he admits.

Unlike his father, music wasn't always the only plan. “I like media, design, layout, anything that fits my aptitude,” Keanu says. “But music is a space where I can express myself. And as I grow, I’m listening more to my own internal musical sense.”

He even writes his own songs. One of them, At My Age, released on YouTube and Spotify, is a cheeky look at societal expectations.

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SHARED STAGE & SHARED JOY

“It’s sarcastic,” he laughs. “Like I think I’m supposed to get married, have kids, work abroad, own a car that changes colour by itself. That sort of thing.”

Sigmund grins at this evolution. “My son has found his voice,” he says. “And that’s all I ever wanted.”

But more than that, it’s the joy of being on stage for both of them. “When you’ve got an audience in front of you, and they’re listening, really listening, there’s no greater thrill. You’re in the zone. You're calm, yet on a high,  at the same time.”

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And what has he passed on to Keanu? “The biggest lesson?” Keanu says thoughtfully. “Just jump into things. You’ll learn along the way.”

Both their stories strike the same notes of faith, performance, and a deep, unspoken rhythm that carries from one generation to the next.