Travel changes an artiste in quiet ways, and for French-Caribbean artiste David Walters, every city he visited has shaped the way he crafts music. So, as he takes his album Soul Tropical across India through his multi-city tour, he can feel diverse influences seeping into his Afro-Caribbean rhythms. “So far, the concerts have been extraordinary,” says Walters, who kicked off the tour with a performance in New Delhi on June 18. “I was surprised to receive such a warm welcome from an audience that barely knows me. The audience was across all ages, from as young as three-year-olds to those in their 80s.”

Walters’s latest album draws from a deeply personal experience. He says, “In the song Soul tropical, I was referring to my mother’s death. We danced at my mom’s funeral; [it was] a way to free her. We have traditions where we accompany the departures with rhythms, song, and dance.” 

The spirit of collaboration is another key force behind the album, which features musicians like Ballaké Sissoko, Seun Kuti, and Flavia Coelho, among others. Human encounters drive his desire for collaborations, states Walters. “Music has no borders, it’s a universal vibration. I also wanted new collaborations focused on Indian classical music. I have a deep respect for the meaning and depth of Indian classical music,” he shares.