SNEHA RAMESH
In the ever-evolving landscape of contemporary Indian music , few artists embody the spirit of modern musicianship quite like Armaan Malik . A vocalist who transcends traditional boundaries , Malik represents a generation of musicians who are as comfortable with global pop sensibilities as they are with Bollywood ' s rich melodic traditions .
He has already established himself as a versatile artist - a singer-songwriter who seamlessly navigates between independent music and mainstream chartbusters . His journey is marked by an introspective approach to creativity , a deep commitment to musical craft , and a technological sophistication that reflects the digital age of music production .
In this candid conversation , we dive deep into the world of a modern musical artist - exploring his inspirations , challenges , creative processes , and the personal philosophy that drives his remarkable career
How has Chennai been treating you ?
I loved the scenery here . It ' s always a beautiful city to come to . I get a lot of love in Chennai . There are so many musical people here , and I ' ve done a bunch of recordings . Lots of memories are attached to this place . In fact , my first ever proper ticketed public concert was at Madras University . I still very clearly remember that show . It was a real springboard for me - right after that , I immediately went on a world tour and performed at Wembley in the UK .
Can you take us back to the beginning ? How did it all start ?
For me , it began right at home . I was just three years old , and my parents told me I was singing before I could even talk properly . I was singing even while crying ! Obviously , there was something there from the beginning . But it was when I was 7 or 8 that I decided to take singing seriously . Up until then , I used to sing at home and participate in interschool competitions . I professionally started singing for ads and jingles when I was eight or nine .
The crux of my philosophy is simply that I ' ve always wanted to make my own mark . Even though I come from a musical family , I wanted people to know me for my singing , not just my family name . I participated in a reality show , and getting eliminated was a pivotal moment for me . But here ' s the thing - I didn ' t see it as a defeat . Instead , I saw it as a challenge . From that moment , I made a personal commitment to myself . I wanted to ensure that whenever someone heard the name alik , they wouldn ' t think about connections or easy opportunities . I wanted them to know that I was going to deliver an exceptional performance , every single time . It wasn ' t about proving others wrong . It was about proving something to myself . I worked incredibly hard on my craft , with one singular goal to be so good that no one could question my ability . When someone calls me into a studio or puts me on a stage , I want them to know , without a doubt , that they ' re going to get the best possible performance .
This wasn ' t just about talent . It was about complete dedication and commitment . I ' ve always believed that success isn ' t handed to you - it ' s earned through relentless hard work . Those early experiences taught me that every opportunity is a chance to showcase your skill , to demonstrate your passion . People often have this ideology that some artists get opportunities easily . But for me , it was never about the opportunities given . It was about what I did with those opportunities . I wanted my singing , my performance to speak for itself . No excuses , no shortcuts - just pure , dedicated effort .
What were some key learnings and takeaways that you can share about both your break in bollywood and in global music ?
The biggest lesson I ’ ve learned is that you never stop learning . In music — or any creative discipline , for that matter — there ’ s always room to grow . Every song I work on teaches me something new , whether it ’ s identifying my strengths or finding gaps to improve upon .
I remember hearing the late Ustad Zakir Hussain once say , “ I ’ m forever a student of music .” That thought has stuck with me . You can be a master of your instrument or craft , but the moment you think you ’ ve learned it all , growth stops . That stayed with me - and let his beautiful soul rest in peace as we talk about him . As a musician , I strive to be better with every project . My intention has always been to keep evolving and learning , and that ’ s something my Bollywood debut taught me and continues to remind me . The songwriting process is quite different internationally . In the West , everyone in the room is a songwriter . It ' s very collaborative . In India , I have the liberty to be deeply involved in creating the song , which gives me a sense of ownership . But there ' s a similarity too - everywhere , artists are searching for that perfect , memorable hook that can make a song stand out specifically for the pop / mainstream genre . The DNA of such song making iq pretty similar to say the least .
It ’ s great to see you again and to be having this conversation in person . It ’ s been a while since we last spoke , hasn ’ t it ? Yes , it really has . I remember being featured on the cover of the school magazine back in October 2016 — that was such a pivotal time in my career . That year , everything seemed to fall into place . Songs like Bol do na Zaara and several others from Bollywood , as well as my independent tracks , all came out during that period . I also performed in Chennai for the first time in 2016 and my world tour started in 2016 . Looking back , it was a such a pivotal and important time in my career .
There ' s this incredible track called " Echo " that I did with Eric NAM and KSHMR . It was my first global collaboration , bringing together three different artists from different parts of the world . We were fusing our unique styles during the pandemic , working across continents ,
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