Singer-songwriter and composer Harry Grover has just dropped his latest single, MAMA. This vibrant, Afro-infused track is packed with infectious energy and summer vibes and is said to be his most fun, carefree, and raw release to date. The inspiration behind MAMA stems from Harry’s travels to Africa and the warm, affectionate use of ‘Ma’ or ‘Mama’ when addressing a girl. He has combined Latin-tinged guitar with Hindi and Punjabi lyrics, all woven into an Afro groove. “I have collaborated with NOLI from Morocco, whose production and vocals add an authentic African touch, and Mhizta Ne from Nigeria, whose vocals deepen the song’s cultural roots.”
So, what was happening in his life when he came up with the song? “I actually made MAMA almost two years ago. At that time, I was really into the Afro sound. I was feeling positive myself and wanted to make something warm, fun, and full of summer energy. I was also exploring different sounds and making music without thinking too much about releases. MAMA came very naturally and stayed in my song bank until I felt it was the right time to put it out.”
What made him want to build an entire song around the word ‘Mama’? “I spent some of my teenage years in Africa, and I remember hearing ‘mama’ used for women quite often. It somehow stayed in my head, and I always thought I’d make something around it one day. I also came across Setswana words like ‘mma’ for addressing a woman and ‘rra’ for a man, so I had been familiar with that kind of expression from a young age. Years later, while looking for a simple hook, ‘Oh Mama’ just came naturally. I started playing around with it, added a Latin-style guitar around the hook, and eventually that one phrase became the whole idea behind the song.”
When asked how he brought together the sounds and artistes from different parts of the world, he says, “I wanted MAMA to have a global vibe from the beginning. Since the production already had that Afro energy, I wanted an African voice on the record as well, to bring a more authentic texture to it. At the same time, I wanted my identity to stay at the core of the song, so bringing in Hindi and Punjabi felt natural to me. Having artistes from Morocco and Nigeria brought their own flavour to the record, while I brought my Indian side to it. ”
The singer has also described MAMA as the beginning of a new chapter. So, what is changing about Harry Grover as an artiste? “I’m 25 now, and I feel like this age naturally marks a new chapter for me, both personally and in my musical journey. There’s a lot lined up, and MAMA is really just a glimpse of what’s coming with my EP. My production style has changed a lot; the music feels more refined, and I’m exploring sounds on a much bigger scale. I’m doing more global collaborations and bringing different worlds into my music, while still keeping my own identity at the centre. I also think I understand myself better as an artiste now. I’m trusting my instincts more, experimenting without worrying too much about fitting into one sound or genre, and becoming more intentional about the music I put out.”
And finally, giving us a peek into his upcoming song, Still That Kid, he says, "Still That Kid is about the inner child that always stays with you, no matter how much you grow. For me, a lot of that feeling comes through the sound. I wanted to bring back the kind of textures I grew up listening to with my friends as a teenager, when I used to dream about making music like that one day. Today, music can easily become about numbers, going viral and social media. I wanted to go back to why I fell in love with music in the first place. So, through the production and different textures, I’ve tried to bring a glimpse of that older feeling into something new. I hope when people hear it, it takes them back to their own memories too. Somewhere inside, we are all still that kid."
For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.