‘I write my lyrics in Hindi’

Tell us about your track Jiya Jaise with Raghav Kaushik.

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Jiya Jaise is a song that one can instantly fall in love with. It’s a song that you can’t get out of your head. Raghav has nailed it. It’s essentially a love song that is upbeat, and not a typical party number. I had a blast collaborating on it.

How did your collaboration with Raghav bring a fresh perspective to the Indie music scene?

I have always actively or passively been part of the Indie music scene. Prior to singing in films, I was part of bands and sang in clubs. I was an active member of the Indie community in Chennai when I was studying there. I started singing for films, but the independent artiste in me lives through my YouTube channel. The collaboration with Raghav came through my team. We were unaware of each other earlier. It was fun to collaborate with Raghav. I love meeting new artistes and stirring up collaborations in the Indie scene.

How do you navigate the challenge of singing in different languages while maintaining the emotional depth of the lyrics?

Well, I think when it comes to languages you don’t speak or understand, you need to be a singer and an actor both. You have to pretend that you know the language well enough to sing in it. I just observe how people speak in that language and how they emote. I write all my lyrics in Hindi because it’s the most phonetic language that I know of, and it becomes easier to pronounce the words in whichever language I’m recording. That’s how I approach method singing in various languages.

How was your experience on the sets of Jhalak Dikhla Jaa?

I had an absolute blast. I love dancing, I love performing. It was a little scary to be on a stage where you only get one shot. And performing in front of other artistes and judges, which was something I had never done. So, it was unnerving. At the same time, I had such a blast learning, rehearsing and spending hours and hours dancing. It was like a detox for me.

Tell us about your upcoming projects.

I have a song in the pipeline for a film. Apart from that I have an international collaboration that’s also lined up. And, of course, a lot of singles that I’m currently working on.

What advice would you like to give to aspiring singers?

Just be yourself. You don’t need anybody’s advice. Just do whatever comes to you.