Just got home half an hour ago and it's finally sinking in. :) We won the GIMA Award for the Best Rock Album tonight!! And I'm so incredibly happy. Honestly, when Neha and I were sitting in the audience, I didn't expect anything. Sure a part of me wished for it but considering the way things have been for me, I didn't expect a win. This is actually the first win of any significance in my life and the ONLY person who truly believed that it would happen was the woman by my side - my wife Neha :)
I went up on stage...said some things (which I hope were coherent) and landed up forgetting saying a LOT of things and I'm hoping to rectify that now. I want to thank some people in my life because I know that I couldn't be here...doing what I do without them. I want to thank my Aai, Baba and my sister AND Neha's Aai, Baba and sister. Both our families have always believed in me...even when it's not been the most easy thing to digest that I do what I do. They've let me work through months where I've made close to nothing (life of an artist) and they've believed in my talent and ability at times when I've doubted it. The one person who's believed that more than anyone else...and who is the reason I'm doing what I'm doing is Neha and I know I can be a complete idiot at times but I want you to know how much I love you, how much I value you and how incomplete I am without you :) Thank you for letting me do what I do.
Thank you Ashish Manchanda for believing in my music and producing our first album. I'm super proud to be the first artist on YOUR label. Thank you to Raaj and all the students at The Media Tribe. Thank you to Shantanu Jog (for the cd art and my logo), to Dipak Raval for the awesome cover photo of #MumbaiBlues and Rahul Majumdar for some awesome photos in the inner booklet. Thank you Times Music ( Shatadru Sarkar especially) for your incredible support.
Thank you Sanju, Viru, and Ruell. You guys are the best band mates I could wish for! Thank you Ishaan for being a part of the album. Hope you're doing well with your studies now. Thank you Shashank Singh for being a part of Mumbai Blues (Travelling Home Blues). And BIG THANKS to my dear dear friend Shefali Alvares for being so awesome and being a part of "Sorry". The song is so much more awesome because of you.
Thank you to all the brands who've believed in me and worked with me all these years - Harman Professional India, Fender - India, WWE India and all the others who've stood by me in the past and stand by me today. :) Thank you Heena for the support you've always given me. Thank you to my management - Purple Star Entertainment and Forum Vaghela for your support. Thank you to the Ping Network team at #TheMJShow. The MJ Show means so much to me and all of you in that team (you know who you are) mean so much to me.
Thank you Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa for coming and launching Mumbai Blues last year. I want to think that your blessings and support helped take this album to tonight. Your presence there meant so much and the fact that Ehsaan presented the award to me tonight was just the most perfect way to complete this part of the journey :) Also Ehsaan, thank you for that INCREDIBLE GOLD FENDER SIGNATURE SERIES GUITAR!! I LOVE IT!! :D
Thank you to all my fans and wellwishers. You have NO idea how much you all mean to me. Thank you God for letting me have a life I love so very much, for my music and my wife. Think that about covers it. If I've forgotten anyone again...I apologize. It's 4:30am and I'm pretty much done for the day :) Yaaay! Rock n Roll is alive and well in Mumbai city! Good night! - Mihir Joshi
(This was originally posted on the night of the 2015 GIMA Awards on facebook. To join in on the coverstation click here: GIMA Awards Thanks on facebook)
