Naga village man’s dream strums true, to open for Mayer’s debut India concert

Guwahati: Singer-songwriter Abdon Mech can scarcely believe it. The twenty-one-year-old from Nagaland’s remote Thahekhu village will open for John Mayer’s debut concert in India, scheduled today in Mumbai.Mech, who learned about his opportunity 48 hours ago, said he was overwhelmed by disbelief, excitement, and gratitude.Sharing the news on social media, he wrote: “I am opening for John Mayer. This kid is opening for his absolute hero... If anybody tells you that your dreams are too big, please punch them in the face. Please chase your dreams, I am chasing mine.”He first posted a video in Oct last year after hearing about Mayer’s India concert, turning the idea of opening for him from a spontaneous thought into a focused goal.Citing Mayer as a major influence on his sound and approach, Mech launched the hashtag #AbdonforJohn and asked people online to support his bid, which grew into a wider campaign.Though he comes from a family of professional musicians, Mech did not initially plan a music career. He began pursuing music seriously after completing Class 12, when his home church provided him a platform to perform and develop as an artiste.John Mayer, a multiple Grammy-winning musician known for blending blues, rock, folk, and pop, won Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for “Waiting on the World to Change” at the 49th Grammy Awards. His later album, “Battle Studies” (2009), marked a return to a pop-focused sound.