Arpan Kumar Chandel, popularly known as King Rocco, was in news lately for his bang-on performance at the Zomato Feeding Concert in Mumbai. King, who rose to popularity with songs like Tu Aake Dekhle, Let The Eyes Talk, Dracula and many others, started his career at a very young age.
He was the first to make it to the top 15 on MTV Hustle and became one of the most sought-after contestants on the show. King’s career took a head start after his performances on the show went viral online. He hasn't looked back since.
In an exclusive chat with Indulge Express, we, however, made King look at his journey so far. The rapper-songwriter opened up about his latest album, his future plans and what 2022 looked like for him.
What inspired your latest album Champagne Talk?
Champagne is considered a symbol of love and happiness. When you pop the champagne, it symbolises people celebrating something. I want each of my songs to be a celebration for KingsClan, for my fans, and for everyone. Champagne Talk is all about spreading love and happiness, and about celebrating.
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Could you tell us about your performance at the Zomato Feeding India Concert?
It's a concert for a cause - malnutrition and hunger-free India. I feel, coming together at such a big stage for a bigger cause like this is a great step taken by Zomato. We are all a part of this society and I feel every one of us should contribute as much as we can for the betterment of our society, and the betterment of people who are struggling with their daily needs.
Tell us a little about your struggle days.
My struggling days have made me who I'm today. We used to travel miles on our scooty just to get some good microphones for recording or some good speakers. We would book slots for recording, for like 30-35 mins and to record 4-5 songs. We did record every song in one take. I enjoyed those days as well. But eventually, we did struggle for the life we are living today and it's all worth it.
What does your support system look like?
My support system is KingsClan. They supported me when I was nothing and they are still supporting me when I have achieved something. "Bluprint" knows how to deal", team Bluprint has always supported me, they understand what my requirements are. If you have a management like this and a fan base like KingsClan, then it automatically creates magic. Without my fans (KingsClan), King is just a normal human being, Arpan.
How has been the year 2022 for you?
The year 2022 has been a year of achievements for me. Sometimes, it feels like a dream to have completed a circle on Hustle 2.0 this year - from Contestant in 2019 to squad boss in 2022. The way the album is performing all over the globe, topping the charts, makes me feel so good. I would say, everything went as planned and now I am waiting to take over 2023.
Would you tell us about your upcoming projects?
I have a couple of Bollywood projects in the pipeline. Apart from that, we might drop a few music videos from my album too. I am working on my singles, a few collaborations are coming in too and a tour is going on. So, a lot of things are coming your way.
Mail: muskankhullar@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @muskankhullar03