Following the success of their debut single Tum Se, boyband Outstation’s latest release Aaj Kal has already become a fan favourite. While Tum Se leaned into the fluttery highs of falling in love, Aaj Kal marks a subtle but significant shift — tapping into longing, memory and the kind of love that refuses to stay in one definition. In conversation with Indulge, the artistes recall their journey from early drafts to the version that listeners now have on loop.
What inspired Aaj Kal? Is it rooted in a personal story or about broader concepts of modern relationships?
Bhuvan Shetty: I think it means something different for each one of us. For me, it’s about letting oneself free and not being binded by anxiety.
Mashaal Shaikh: Nowadays, relationships are so short that people don’t remember their loved ones as much. But Aaj Kal is about longing, even if two people are not on the same page — they’re on each other’s mind 24x7.
Kurien Sebastian: We didn’t want Aaj Kal to be just another love song about a girl. It’s more about unconditional love, one that you could sing to your dad, mom or even your best friend.
Hemang Singh: The song came into existence from our feelings about our families and hometowns when we came to Mumbai as it was our first time moving away from home.
What was the writing and production process like?
Mashaal: It was a collaborative effort. Once we all were casually jamming in our studio, when Shayan Pattem and Bhuvan noticed something and loved it immediately. What initially was a lo-fi version slowly evolved into this single.
Kurien: It took us six months to finish Aaj Kal. Back then, all of us went back and forth a lot on the production. Still none of us were happy with how it turned out. 15 versions of Aaj Kal were made including happy, sad and even EDM. Finally, this was the one we all collectively agreed on.
Was there a moment, a lyric or a music score which made you know this song was special?
Shayan: In the beginning, Bhuvan and I sang and recorded the song in our vocals. Later on, we played the song to Kurien and as soon as the drop came, he started dancing (laughs). It was then when we realised that we were working on something big and it had to be out as soon as possible.
Mashaal: I experimented with some chords on the guitar which made the song feel alive. We collectively composed a melody through an acoustic set.
You released this song in Guwahati at a pop-up event. Why did you choose that particular city?
Hemang: The last time we went to Guwahati, we did not expect all 3,000 people who RSVP-ed to show up. But when we went there, we found a long queue outside the park, which didn’t have that sort of capacity. So, we ended up performing outside. That’s when we realised, Guwahati loves us a lot and were very supportive of us.
Kurien: That was also when, for the first time, we heard 3,000 people singing this song before we even performed it.
How is Aaj Kal different from Tum Se?
Mashaal: Tum Se was all about feeling butterflies and falling for someone. Aaj Kal is more about the deeper connection and the raw longing for someone as it says, ‘tere bina aaj kal jeena mumkin nahi (it’s impossible to live life without you, these days).’ Sonically, it’s pop but it’s also fresh.
Hemang: Previously, when Tum Se released, we had to teach everyone the lyrics. But during Aaj Kal, people were already singing the song with us. So, we knew that this song’s different. If you listen to it once, the melody and the lyrics will keep you hooked.
Do you plan to stick to this genre or experiment more going forward?
Kurien: One thing that we definitely don’t want to do is stick to one genre.
Shayan: We already have a few experimental songs. In fact, Mashaal’s favourite song is one of our most experimental songs. It contains a lot of strong emotions. Every time we want to make something, we’re usually very random about it and go wherever the wind takes us.
Hemang: We might be dropping an EP in the next few months. It is a bit experimental and will definitely be something different from Aaj Kal and Tum Se.
Aaj Kal is streaming on all audio platforms.
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