What sets me apart from the crowd are my lyrics and tune — singer Aditya Rikhari
From his debut song Faasle to Samjho Na, Kya Karein, and Side by Side, Aditya Rikhari, a name that resonates with soulful melodies and heartfelt lyrics, has carved his niche in the vibrant landscape of Indian music. Now managed by Universal Music India, Rikhari has introduced his latest track, Paaro, which reimagines the iconic Devdas character for a contemporary Gen Z audience.
In Paaro, Aditya sets off on an adventure through the timeless story of love and sorrow, exploring themes of yearning and hopelessness. The song captures the core of Devdas's lasting impact, acting as a connection between historical and contemporary times by presenting the iconic figure to a modern audience in an innovative and captivating manner.
We talk to the singer about his latest and upcoming projects, his USP in the music industry and more...
Tell us more about your latest release 'Paaro'. What inspired you to reinterpret Devdas and why?
So there’s a cool story behind Paaro, I am a huge movie buff, but somehow I missed out on watching the epic film Dev D by Anurag Kashyap. The movie was my major inspiration because it portrays Devdas differently while keeping the essence of the characters same. My takeaway from the movie was that irrespective of how many Chandramukhis come into Devdas’s life, the love between Paaro and Devdas is eternal. It’s like every guy has a Paaro in his life who he loves madly, but unfortunately she ends up leaving him and never comes back. After watching the movie I grabbed my guitar and randomly sang the lines “paaro meri paaro ishaaro ishaaro mai meri baatein samazh lena”. So, this is basically how the song came to life.
What's your process of making a song?
To be very honest I don’t follow any specific process while making a song. I believe creativity comes from within and can't be forced. While other artists may have a set process of making a song, but that is not the case with me. For example my song Paaro, started with a tune and music that came to me. I sat on it and the song just flowed naturally and I completed it in that moment. So to answer your question, my process of making a song is very intuitive and based on my instincts. If something clicks for me, I work in that direction and complete the song.
Music is a competitive industry. How do you stand apart from others?
You’re absolutely correct that the music industry is very competitive. Especially, in today’s age of social media where artists of all genres can easily connect with their audience. What sets me apart from the crowd are my lyrics and tune because they are very simple, relatable and easy to understand. I don’t focus on using complex words, instead, I prioritize ensuring that my songs and lyrics have a meaning and touch the listener's soul. Additionally, I work as a one person team so I write, compose and sing all of my songs, hence I have a great deal of creative freedom to experiment with my work, which helps in elevating my creativity. And touchwood, majorly all of my experiments have been successful and I am really grateful that my audience appreciates and enjoys my work. So to sum up, my ability and freedom to experiment with my work helps me stand apart from the crowd and earn the love of my audience.
Tell us more about your forthcoming album 'Jaana'.
My forthcoming album 'Jaana' is very close to my heart because it is my first album ever, and firsts are always special. I have finally completed it, and I'm really happy to execute it with Universal Music India. I'm very excited for all the songs to be released and for my audience to finally listen to them.
The album contains different aspects of me: my soul, my understanding of music, my past experiments with music, and the new experiments I want to try. It portrays my ability to explore a variety of music genres. The album is a compilation of different sonic styles, which is something I’ve never done before.
Regarding the album's title, 'Jaana', it certainly has a meaning, but I want my audience to discover the meaning for themselves and share their interpretations with me. I look forward to hearing different perspectives on why they think the album is named 'Jaana.' So, stay tuned 'Paaro' is just the beginning, and new songs will be released every month. You're in for a lot of surprises, so please be patient.
One artist you would like to collaborate with in future.
This is a very difficult question because there are many music directors and musicians I want to collaborate with in the future. But if I have to pick one, it would definitely be Pritam Da. I would love to work alongside him. Additionally, Mithoon as a music director really intrigues me, and I would love to collaborate with him as well.