Arthur Gunn

Dibesh Pokharel (born October 24, 1997),[1] known by his stage name Arthur Gunn, is a Nepalese-American singer-songwriter from Wichita, Kansas who came to national attention in 2020 as the runner-up finalist on the eighteenth season of the singing reality show American Idol (AI).[2][3] He started singing in 2014, and released his eight-song debut album, Grahan, in early 2018.[2] He released another album, KHOJ, in 2019 with singles including "Ma," “Khoj" and "Karnali (The River)."[2] He is known for his "textured, sandpapery" vocals.[4][5] As of July 2020, his YouTube channel has 312,000 subscribers.[6] His most watched video, as of July 2020, is "Nyano Ghar" (House of warmth), released May 2018, has over six million views on YouTube.[6] His latest song is "Love is my Redemption".[7] Although his AI single has not been licensed for use, in July 2020 he released Self-Titled, a seven-track album.[8]

Arthur Gunn
Birth nameDibesh Pokharel
Born (1997-10-24) October 24, 1997
Kathmandu, Nepal
OriginKathmandu, Nepal,
Wichita, Kansas, US
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer-songwriter
  • musician
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active2014–present
WebsiteOfficial website

Early life and education

Dibesh Pokharel (Dibesh means light) was born October 24, 1997 in Kathmandu—the metropolis capital of around 2.5 million people in the South Asian country of Nepal—to parents Datram and Maiya.[1][2][9] His family, including four sisters—including Rubi, Rupa, and Supriya—were not musical, although he was exposed to music at an early age and grew up with it in his life; they noted as a child he sang and played small guitars his mother gave him.[2][9][10] His family would play records and music and he wanted to do that as well.[1] From the age of two he would blend songs together while playing the guitar.[11] His first experiences with American Idol (AI) was watching the U.S. version online while growing up, he also learned English in Nepal.[1] "I got my first guitar from my mom and then I started singing along to any song I could hear on the radio, TVs, you know. That's when the dream [to perform] started."[1][12] His family emigrated to Wichita, Kansas around 2008 when he was eleven but he remained and finished school.[1] Later he would sing in pubs and coffee houses, but mainly for gatherings of friends; he eventually recorded some songs.[2] He started taking his singing seriously in 2012/2013.[13][1]

He immigrated to Wichita, Kansas around 2014 after graduating high school, and following his sisters who were in school in the U.S., and then was joined by his parents; there he was introduced to bluegrass and country music.[2][4][14] He bought a new guitar and befriended musicians and played the city's coffeehouses.[1] He traveled and busked on street corners in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and a summer at the Ocean City, Maryland boardwalk.[1] He cites as inspirations and influences: John Martyn, Nick Drake, Bob Dylan, Bukka White, Robert Johnson, Howlin’ Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Led Zeppelin/Jimmy Page, Joe Cocker, Mississippi John Hurt and John Lee Hooker.[2][1] His musician friends urged him to audition for AI, and Gunn knew he wanted to be a professional singer-songwriter, and decided it was a good opportunity to learn more about the industry.[1]

Career

Early career: Grahan

Gunn first recorded songs in 2018 and around the same time started using his stage name.[13] He was reading Arthur Rimbaud’s—an influential French poet from the 1800s—work, "His words were so modern and I thought his name Arthur would be a good stage name. A lot of people know me as Dibesh but Arthur is easier to use as a stage name."[1] The name was chosen somewhat randomly but it starts with art, he said: “I am fascinated with art in every form and outcomes it can create.”[13] He also explained, “Hur is a biblical name, which means ‘Hole’, nothing religious, though. Meanwhile, ‘Gunn’ symbolizes battle".[15] When he started to seriously sing in 2013 he worked on shaping his voice, and then had mentors who taught him breathing techniques, and then enhancing his vocals.[15] The Voice of Sikkim noted Gunn is one of the latest talented singers from the Nepal area including Prashant Tamang, winner of Indian Idol (season 3); Prakriti Deuja, the first Nepalese American to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at a National Basketball Association game in 2014; Nisha Rasaily, and Passang Doma Lama.[16]

His debut, Grahan, is an eight-song Nepali language album including the love song "Nyano Ghar", released in early 2018.[13][15] Grahan means "about day and night, the sun and the moon".[15] According to Heavy, "his Nepali songs have infused the sounds of artists such as Bob Dylan, Robert Johnson, and Bukka White".[10] He toured in Nepal to support the album, and recorded new songs in 2019, including "Ma", "Khoj", and "Karnali (The River)", which he released in December; all of which to be a part of a new album.[13] In February 2020, his YouTube channel had nearly 70,000 subscribers, as of April 2020 that rose to 230,000.[12][17]

American Idol

Gunn submitted an audition online for American Idol (AI) in 2019, and was invited to the September 4 in-person Wichita auditions for the third season of the rebooted edition—the eighteenth season overall of the show—at Century II Performing Arts & Convention Center.[2] It was one of twenty-two cities the producers visited over a four-month period "Bus Tour," and the first time AI had visited the city since the show began in 2002.[2] He auditioned with Sticky Fingers’ "Eddy's Song" (2011), as of May 2020 the video has been seen over eight million times.[10][11] Gunn notes as his favorite AI alumni both 2019's winner Laine Hardy, and runner-up Alejandro Aranda.[1]

Gunn was featured in a December 2019 sneak peek for the show, the clip showed a portion of his audition with the show's judges; Luke Bryan stated, "I think he might be the biggest star we’ve ever had on ‘American Idol.’"[2][13] Gunn is also one of several dozen contestants featured in a February 2020 AI commercial that premiered during the Academy Awards, and went into "heavy rotation", it pays tribute to a scene in Almost Famous (2000), with AI host Ryan Seacrest driving a bus full of contestants singing along to Elton John’s "Tiny Dancer".[2][13] Seacrest tags the end of the scene by stating the contestants were almost famous.[13] Gunn knew he wanted to be a professional musician but had been uncertain about AI; he has become "amazed" at the experience, "I've learned so many things about performing and being an artist and the music industry."[1]

Hollywood Week was filmed December 2–5, 2019, at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, California with 167 contestants.[18][19] For the first round Gunn self-selected the singer-songwriter music genre and had to be encouraged by the judges to keep singing a second verse of his choice, "Hard to Handle" (1968) by Otis Redding.[5][20] For the duet round he partnered with Amber Fiedler who was eliminated later on in the Hawaiian Showcase.[21] He reprised "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" (1971) by Creedence Clearwater Revival for the Solo round but did his own arrangement.[22] Gunn passed onto the Top Forty and advanced to the Showcase round performing for a live audience—including his parents and sisters—in Kapolei, Hawaii at the Aulani resort.[10] His sisters mentioned how proud they were, especially as Arthur has not had any formal training until the show.[9] The two-episode Showcase/Final Judgement round determines the Top Twenty and was filmed in January 2020. Gunn was shown on the second night performing "Is This Love?" (1978) by Bob Marley & the Wailers.[23] Judge Lionel Richie said that advancing him to the Top Twenty was one of the easiest decisions they had to make.[23] Gunn is the third Top Twenty contestant from the Wichita area since the show started after Rickey Smith who finished in eighth place in 2003 on the second season, and Phil Stacey, who came in sixth in 2007 on the sixth season.[23]

Taping was suspended after the Top Twenty were selected, and the contestants sent home, due to Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.[24] The rest of the season the show filmed all the on-air talent from their homes.[25] The producers equipped each contestant with similar sound and lighting equipment so they could film from home.[26] When asked who Gunn would like to duet with if he made it to the finale, his list included The Black Keys, Jack Johnson and Damian Marley.[27] In May 2020 Gunn became the first Nepali-born contestant in the Top Ten on the show; he performed a reggae version of John Denver’s "Take Me Home, Country Roads" for the show's theme of evoking songs of home.[28] Popculture’s Kyle Phillippi noted Gunn's voice has been praised by the show's judges from the beginning as "the most unique", Gunn said, "I have been told that I have a husky tone to my voice that I open the diaphragm more than others."[29] He added, "I don't use a lot of my head voice or nasal voice, and I am still learning my voice, but I don't have a particular way to define my voice."[29]

For the live finale, the top five, including Gunn were announced live from the Top Seven, and they performed two rounds of songs while East coast viewers voted for their favorites during the show.[lower-alpha 1][31] The first round were celebration songs with Gunn singing Gavin DeGraw’s 2003 single "I Don't Want to Be".[32] The second round was the contestant's intended debut single if they won with Gunn again singing Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" (1971).[32] Both Gunn and Just Sam were announced as top two finalists, with Sam declared the winner.[33][34] Gunn is seen as a trailblazer by Nepali musicians who hope more people from their country will feel empowered to sign up for competitions.[35][36]

Performances:
Week Theme Song(s) Original artist(s)
Online audition N/A • "Eddy's Song" (2011)[11] • Sticky Fingers off their Happy Endings EP
Audition N/A • "Girl from the North Country" (1963),[14]
• "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" (1971)[14]		 • Bob Dylan,
• Creedence Clearwater Revival
Hollywood week • Genre challenge,[lower-alpha 2]
• Duet with Amber Fiedler,[lower-alpha 3]
• Solo		 • "Hard to Handle" (1968),[5]
• "The Chain" (1977),[21][lower-alpha 4]
• "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" (1971)[22]		 • Otis Redding and The Black Crowes,[lower-alpha 5]
• Fleetwood Mac,
• Creedence Clearwater Revival (Gunn arrangement)
Top Forty Showcase round in Kapolei, Hawaii • "Is This Love?" (1978)[37] • Bob Marley & The Wailers
Top Twenty Start of remote shows • "Lovin' Machine" (1952)[38] • Wynonie Harris
Top Ten: ”Homeward Bound” Songs that remind of home • "Take Me Home, Country Roads" (1971)[28] • John Denver
Top Seven Disney music / Mother's Day • "Kiss the Girl" (1989) from The Little Mermaid[3]
• "Hey, Ma" (2019)[3]		 • Samuel Wright in his role as Sebastian
• Bon Iver
Finale • Round 1: Celebration songs
• Round 2: Debut single if they win		 • "I Don't Want to Be" (2003)[32]
• "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" (1971)[32]		 • Gavin DeGraw
• Creedence Clearwater Revival
Finale: Group song Cynthia Erivo & Idol Top Eleven, medley:
• "INever Loved a Man the Way I Love You" (1967)
• "Rock Steady" (1971)
• "Chain of Fools" (1967)[34]		 Aretha Franklin
Finale: Group song Lionel Ritchie, Idol Top Eleven, Idol judges and alums:
• "We Are the World" (1985)[33][39]		 Various, 45 top pop stars

Post-Idol, Self-Titled

In June 2020, Gunn was one of the featured singers for a virtual arts event hosted by the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu.[40]

In July 2020, he released a seven-song album produced by Angelo Rodriguez called Self-Titled.[8]

Notes
  1. The west coast was also able to vote but only before any of the performances were aired.[30]
  2. Contestants self-selected to one of six genres (Rock, R&B, Soul, Pop, Country, and Gunn's choice, singer-songwriter), and were judged compared to the group they optioned.
  3. Fiedler was eliminated during the Top Forty Showcase round.
  4. Although not their full performance, a snippet of Arthur Gunn and Amber Fielder's duet song is shown.
  5. Redding was the original artist in 1968, but Gunn credited both his and The Black Crowes (1990) versions.[20]
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References
  1. Bronson, Fred (April 5, 2020). "American Idol: Meet the Top 21 Contestants". Billboard. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  2. Lindemon, Meredith (February 17, 2020). "Arthur Gunn (Dibesh Pokharel) on 'American Idol: 5 Fast Facts". Heavy. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  3. "Dibesh Pokharel makes his way to the final 7". Kathmandu Post. May 12, 2020. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  4. Polson, Brian (February 16, 2020). "American Idol Season 18 Episode 1: Meet Dibesh Pokharel aka Arthur Gunn, the Nepalese rockstar from Kansas". Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  5. Polson, Brian (March 16, 2020). "'American Idol' Season 18 Episode 6: Arthur Gunn cruises through Hollywood week and judges can't have enough". Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  6. Carvajal, Edduin (May 19, 2020). "Meet Arthur Gunn from 'American Idol' — What We Know about the Singer Who Grew up in Nepal". Amo Mama News. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  7. Tagat, Anurag (May 22, 2020). "'American Idol' season 18 finalist Arthur Gunn on his musical journey". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  8. Agate, Samantha (July 16, 2020). "Nepali 'American Idol' Runner Up Arthur Gunn Drops New Music Fresh Off The Show As His Fans Consider Him Defacto 'Winner'". Talent Recap. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  9. Neil, Denise (April 13, 2020). "'American Idol' airs profile of Arthur Gunn co-starring Wichita, his parents and sisters". The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  10. Bicks, Emily (May 10, 2020). "Arthur Gunn's Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  11. ""This Is Me, Part 1"". American Idol. Season 18. Episode 11. April 12, 2020. ABC.
  12. Stein, Michelle (March 3, 2020). "Who Is Dibesh Pokharel, Aka Arthur Gunn, on 'American Idol'? He Has a Compelling Backstory". Distractify. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  13. Neil, Denise (February 11, 2020). "'American Idol' premiere will feature a Wichita singer who's been all over the show's ads". The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  14. Hermanson, Wendy (February 16, 2020). "'American Idol': Nepalese Singer Arthur Gunn Wows Luke Bryan". Taste of Country. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  15. Paryo, Garna (May 21, 2019). "Arthur Gunn – Gunning Towards Glory". Hallanepal. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  16. ""All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them" : Walt Disney – The Voice of Sikkim". The Voice of Sikkim. February 18, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  17. Gunn, Arthur. "Arthur Gunn [OFFICIAL]". YouTube. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  18. "American Idol 2020 Judges Auditions Begin in Savannah (Schedule)". September 30, 2019. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  19. ""Hollywood Week -Genre Challenge"". American Idol. Season 3. Episode 6. March 16, 2020. ABC.
  20. Pakyung (March 18, 2020). "Namaste American Idol 2020, Arthur Gunn Steals The Hollywood Week Show – The Voice of Sikkim". Sikkim News. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  21. "Hawaii Showcase and Final Judgement, Part 1". American Idol. Season 18. Episode 9. March 29, 2020. ABC.
  22. Polson, Brian (March 23, 2020). "'American Idol' Season 18: Arthur Gunn steps it up with refreshing take on Creedence Clearwater Revival classic". Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
  23. Denise, Neil (April 6, 2020). "Wichita singer Arthur Gunn advances to 'American Idol' Top 20, is clear judge favorite". Wichita Eagle. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  24. "'American Idol' Contestants Sent Home Amid Coronavirus Outbreak". Billboard. March 19, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  25. Neil, Patricia (May 3, 2020). "Wichita's Arthur Gunn makes 'American Idol's' Top 11". The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  26. "How Is 'American Idol' Going to Go Live During the Pandemic? The Producers Say They Have a Plan for That". Billboard. April 20, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  27. Kaufman, Gil (April 27, 2020). "'American Idol' Top 20 Talk Dream Collaborators, Winning From Home". Billboard. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  28. "Dibesh Pokharel, aka Arthur Gunn, shines again, earns a spot in the top 11 of American Idol". The Kathmandu Post. May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  29. Phillippi, Kyle (May 12, 2020). "'American Idol': Arthur Gunn's 'Thrilling' Journey Could Have an 'Overwhelming' Ending on Finale Night". PopCulture.com. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  30. Ho, Rodney (May 22, 2020). "'The Voice' top 5 finale recap with videos". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  31. Fadrowski, Kelli Skye (May 18, 2020). "'American Idol' crowns Just Sam the winner during finale". Redlands Daily Facts. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  32. "Dibesh Pokharel makes history". The Kathmandu Post. May 18, 2020. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  33. Kennedy, John R. (May 18, 2020). "'American Idol' Season 18 Winner Crowned". iHeartRadio. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  34. Daw, Robbie (May 18, 2020). "'American Idol' Finale Recap: Just Sam Crowned Winner". [[Billboard (magazine)|]]. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  35. Rai, Jessica (May 18, 2020). "Musicians here laud Dibesh, say he has done Nepal proud". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  36. "Arthur Gunn: A winner of many hearts". The Annapurna Express. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  37. Polson, Brian (April 5, 2020). "'American Idol' Season 18: Arthur Gunn channels Bob Marley with 'Is This Love', enchants judges and audience". Media Arts Entertainment WorldWide. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  38. Ho, Rodney (April 27, 2020). "'American Idol' top 20 first-ever 'remote' show: who shined, who didn't". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  39. Seemayer, Zach (May 17, 2020). "Lionel Richie Delivers Historic Performance of 'We Are the World'". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  40. "US Embassy to hold virtual concert featuring Arthur Gunn, Swoopna Suman, Trishna Gurung, Samriddhi Rai on June 19". The Himalayan Times. June 18, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
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