Exclusive: ‘It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears’ — Dhvani Bhanushali on her journey of dreams and dedication
If anyone can be called the definitive rising pop star of India right now, it has to be Dhvani Bhanushali. While she rose to fame with her single Vaaste (over 1 billion views on YouTube) and homage Leja Re (over 1 billion views on YouTube), she hasn’ t looked back ever since. With a background in business studies and a passion for music, Dhvani started her journey by posting covers on YouTube before making her mark in Bollywood playback singing and independent pop music.
Known for her versatility and engaging social media presence, Dhvani continues to captivate audiences with her soulful performances and relatable lyrics. She recently made headlines for her philanthropic work in Kutch, when her family established a clinic in Bhavanipur, her home, addressing the lack of medical facilities in the area and is back in the news with her latest viral hit Thank You God (over 15 million views on YouTube).
We caught up with Dhvani to discuss her inspiring journey, her family’s influence on her career, her thoughts on the current music scene and so much more.
You’ve accomplished quite a bit at your age, including building a medical facility in your hometown in Kutch — how has this journey been?
I think the hospital has come together as a family effort and my grandfather has had the greatest contribution in making it happen. I have gone there and popularised it and maybe that helped when we inaugurated the whole place. But I’m just happy that it’s my first step towards giving something back. It’s actually my grandfather who has made tireless visits and ensured it was ready in time for people to use. I give all the credit to him. He’s a phenomenal human being and I’m glad my grandparents taught us such great values.
Tell us about your journey, how did it start?
If you talk about a defining moment, I think Vaaste was one song that everyone heard. I was incredibly confused as to why and what happened. But at the same time, I'm incredibly grateful that it happened so early in my life. From there on, I have had a different journey. If you talk about how I started, I started with YouTube videos. I would do covers of the songs that I liked and shoot them randomly, like in the car or at home. Somehow that whole community started building. I did one playback for Welcome to New York with Rahat Saab for Diljit Dosanjh's and Sonakshi Sinha's film. Then there was a break of one and a half to two years. I did my covers, was happy doing them, and enjoyed the process and learning. Then I did Dilbar. After another two years, I decided I wanted to get into pop. I did all my training. Since childhood, we were learning to dance, so it becomes instrumental in having rhythm in the body. Then I started training myself even more. Two years passed, and meanwhile, I shot Leja Re, Main Teri Hoon, and Vaaste in the same span of six to eight months. They all started releasing. By 2019, I had become well-known, and I was 21, giving my exams and studying. It was a crazy journey. If I start talking about it, it'll never end, but it was the most beautiful thing that happened to me. I'm genuinely eternally grateful to everyone who heard and supported me. I'm very happy to be an artist.
RAPID FIRE ROUND
If you were an alien, what planet would you call home?
Venus.
One overrated trend that irks you?
The pressure to be perfect all the time.
One superpower you wish you had?
To be perfect all the time.
A food you absolutely cannot say no to?
Pav Bhaji.
Your spirit animal and why?
A mix between a tiger and a dog—fierce yet loving.
Which fruit or vegetable do you resemble most?
I used to be a potato; now, I'm like a fry.
One place in India you would love to visit?
I'd love to go back to Kashmir and explore the South.
One place outside India on your bucket list?
Turkey.
Something you've discovered and want to share with the world?
You can always be a good person by making the right choices.
Something that singing has taught you?
Patience.
Why did you choose to delve into pop culture later?
I always wanted to be a pop icon, influenced by people like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez. I enjoyed listening to their songs and admired them. I wanted to be on stage and fully own it. I started researching and found it amazing and intriguing and then decided this was my path. It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but when you desire something, you do whatever it takes. There’s internal work, selftraining and more. It was a great time and we’re still working on ourselves. It’s a fantastic time to be an artiste.
There’s a whole wave of indie artistes making their own albums. Do you think this wave makes it harder for artistes to achieve superstar status because there’s so much competition?
It’s all about consistency. One hit doesn’t make you a superstar. If you give ten consecutive hits and manage to build an audience and a community — that’s superstardom. It’s difficult to keep, but with consistency and great songs that people relate to — it happens. People need to relate to your story and feel a connection. It has to be real, not made up. There has to be a heart-to-heart connection. People need to like your whole personality, what you stand for, who you are. Sometimes, it’s an unexplained attraction or love for a person and their aspirations.
How would you describe Dhvani in three words?
I’m a normal girl next door doing her own music and living the dream life. I have a clean heart, trying to achieve my dreams and doing something for the people around me. That’s it. That is all I am.
Did you ever imagine that at your age, you would be where you are?
I don’t know, maybe if I didn’t do this, I’d have been married by now and working. Maybe, I’d be a lawyer or something, but I don’t think that was meant for me. I was meant for a different life. I’m making my dreams come true every single day and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Your social media game is amazing. How do you handle criticism on social media and do you think it’s important for any artiste to have a good social media presence to be popular?
Yes, you need to have a presence to be popular. Pop culture requires popularity, so, it is important for artistes to focus on it. At the end of the day, if nobody listens to your music, you can’t just play it in your drawing room. Marketing yourself and your music is essential. Criticism on social media sometimes gets to me, but I feel like people don’t understand me. They don’t know me personally. If they have an opinion about me, it’s based on their mood on a particular day. Unless it makes sense, I do not listen to anybody. That’s how you protect yourself.
Is there a person you’d like to collaborate with on stage for a music video?
I’d love to collaborate with many people, but right now it’s Charlie Puth or DJ Snake. There are so many names on my wish list, but I’d be thrilled to work with these two.
What’s the craziest song you’ve worked on?
I think Mera Yaar was the craziest song that I worked on because the producers sent me this one beat that I loved. I just couldn’t get it out of my head. I said, “You know what, just WhatsApp it to me or email it to me and I’ll write something on it.” Instantly, I came up with this: “Doob gayi main tujh mein, aa ke teri baaton mein, dil mera maane na piya…” So that happened. I sent it to him and he was like, “This is fab.” The whole idea was in my head was that I wanted to write about what it felt like when you see a person and want to tell them that you like them, but in the best way possible. It should sound sexy but also respectful.
If not singing, what would you have done as a career?
I think I would have acted. As an artiste, I get to do everything —acting, writing, marketing. If not singing, I’d be married for sure (laughs).
Finally, any new projects or concerts you’re working on?
I’m working on an EP and several exciting projects, including shows. There’s one particular project I’m thrilled about, but I’ll reveal more in a few months.
