Singer Aditya Narayan is known for popular title tracks of the 90s like ‘Akele Hum Akele Tum’ for the movie with the same name and ‘Chhota Baccha Jaan Ke’ from the film ‘Masoom’. Surprisingly, he rendered these hits before he turned 10.
Though he started off as a singer, he soon became popular as a child artiste with films like ‘Pardes’ and ‘Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai’.
He has continued to experiment with both films and music. He has hosted the musical reality show, ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge’ on and off and also played the lead role in Vikram Bhatt’s 2010 horror-flick, ‘Shaapit’.
His independent singles include ‘Tu Hi Pyar Hai’, ‘Tera Ishq Jee Paaun’, ‘Zindagi’, ‘Mohabbat’, ‘Behka Behka’ and finally ‘Yaara’ (2016).
After a three-year hiatus, Aditya is back with another single, ‘Lillah’. It is a romantic track written by Manoj Yadav and composed by his band, ‘A Team’. It is touted as an ode to the golden era of IndiPop.
In an interview with Metrolife, Aditya talks about the music video, his ever-increasing fan base, performance anxiety and more.
This was the first time you shot a music video outside India. Why did you choose the Maldives?
I love my country so much that I haven’t felt like shooting anywhere else till now. The planning for this video started a couple of years ago when I went for my yearly scuba diving vacation to the Maldives. I fell in love with the feel and vibe of the place. That’s when the idea of shooting a video there came about.
What was the idea behind the music video?
I grew up in the 90s and at that time, music meant cassettes, CDs, MTV and Channel V. It was an amazing time for Indipop music. I loved listening to artistes like Euphoria, Silk Route, Lucky Ali and Alisha Chinai.
I have been making music videos for almost three-four years now and most of them were with T-series. Though it’s great to release music through a label, because they have a wider audience, I have noticed that people tend to find music that appeals to them even if it is not attached to a record label. So I wanted to create something independently. We wanted to explore a 2020 version of Indipop. When lyricist Manoj Yadav told me that ‘Lillah’ means ‘for God’, I started visualising the music video in the Maldives.
Your father is a veteran of the music industry. Was it a default choice for you to follow his footsteps?
I genuinely fell in love with music from the moment I started listening to it. But yes, my parents have a lot to do with it as they are both singers. I used to accompany them to the studio when I was very young. I loved listening to them singing in different languages; in fact, I would come home and repeat the songs. That’s when they realised that I was interested in music. On my fourth birthday, I sang for five-six hours non-stop. Music composer Kalyanji Virji Shah heard me and told my parents that he wanted to guide me. It never felt like I was forced into music.
From singing ‘Akele Hum Akele Tum’ to ‘Lillah’, how has your life changed as a singer?
I sang ‘Akele Hum Akele Tum’ in 1994 and it’s 2019 now; I have been singing and working for 25 years. It is a long time. Please give me my lifetime achievement award (laughs). It has been an amazing journey but I still feel like a newcomer. I still have stars in my eyes, the same passion and enthusiasm I had when I started. I hope to work for another 50 years, at least.
Do you ever have performance anxiety?
To be honest, as a musician, I have never felt anxious but I have felt an adrenaline rush every time I perform in front of a crowd. And even though I have been hosting shows for 13 years now, I still feel nervous on the first day of shoot.
Over the years, you have created your own fan base. In fact, you are quite popular with females. How do you handle all the attention?
I am grateful that the number keeps increasing. But I have learnt that being successful and popular is not permanent. When you are in the spotlight, you will enjoy it. But even when you are not, you shouldn’t get disheartened. Life is a set of trials and tribulations; You will fail and succeed many times. My fans and their love for me will sustain only if I do good work. I have understood that I have to keep reinventing myself.
Many youngsters look up to you as an inspiration. Any advice you would like to give them?
Keep calm and keep ‘kaam se kaam’ (laughs). Personally, I have realised that it is important to channelise one’s energy in the right direction, only then will it propel you to great heights.
How old were you when you wrote your first song?
I was 18 when I wrote an entire song. It was a song called ‘I Need To Know’, an RnB composition. After that, I wrote ‘I Wish You Knew’. I was then studying music in London, and as part of the syllabus, we had to write prose or a song every semester and sing it with a band on stage.
Do any of your songs reflect your life?
One song that I definitely relate to is ‘Zindagi’, a single that I did with T-series in 2015. It’s a song about love for life. I genuinely believe that for a person to have the capability to love others or themselves, they should first love and appreciate the life they have.
What’s next for you?
Over the next couple of months, I am going to put out a lot of music. Much of my music is inspired by the events that happen around me; this coming phase will be interesting. I will be releasing my independent album soon and sometime early next year, my band and I will be touring the country. That should be fun.
