Whether you’re over the moon or in low spirits, there’s an Anuv Jain track to make every day a brighter one. His fans go crazy to the singer – songwriter’s relatable lyrics, expressive songwriting and soothing melodies that masterfully pull at one’s heartstrings. For the Ludhiana lad whose only instrument in his live shows is his guitar or the ukulele, his songs like Baarishein, Riha, Maula, Ocean are soothing to anyone who listens to them. So when words fail, Jain’s nine-track discography is your saving grace.

Verus Ferreira met up with Jain where he shared his musical journey, his response to fans and of course, how he manages to serenade audiences with his moving lyrics. 

Last year you released a new single ‘Mazaak’. Can you tell us something about the song? Also the song is inspired by a recent event in your life.

My ninth studio recorded single Mazaak holds a very special place in my heart. The idea behind the song was to make people reminisce to that feeling of falling for someone and the absurdity of how love finds us in those mundane moments when we are least expecting it. While all of my music is inspired by real emotions and events I have gone through in life, this track is very special to me as this is something I experienced very recently. I am glad that people are enjoying the track and it was absolutely amazing performing it live at Bacardi NH7 Weekender.

You debuted with the song ‘Baarishein’, in 2018. Tell us about your journey, how did you struggle to get through in the industry, did you feel any pressure from the competition?

I started my music career with Baarishein in 2018, and what a journey it has been! I love making music as it allows me to express myself, and everything I’ve written so far is inspired from my life experiences. When I had just started out, the independent music scene was still growing in India – but today, the genre has grown into a vibrant community of its own with unique influences, artists, and audiences – so that way the industry has become quite collaborative. Of course, there is pressure to grow alongside goals you set for yourself but with streaming platforms, social media, and now live events like Bacardi NH7 Weekender, there is immense opportunity for artists like me to bring our music to our fans and connect with them online and offline and build our community. All artists need to do is focus on making their art consistently better and with so many platforms to aid discoverability, it surely will pay off. 

Which are the instruments you play?

I have been playing the guitar ever since I first started learning when I was 16 years old. Apart from that, I also play the ukulele.

Your lyrics are unique and heart touching. Would you like to share your process of making a song?

My songwriting journey is very detailed. It typically takes about 4 months to execute a song end-to-end, starting from composing the melody to weaving stories with lyrics and ultimately encapsulating it all in a video for the audience. I get consumed by this process for days, I don't sleep for nights. That’s because at the end of the day, I want to ensure that my music is authentic and resonates with my audience – that takes hard work, skill, and lots and lots of patience, but trust me, it all pays off.

Your music videos have unique themes. Can you tell us something about the thought process when making these music videos?

More than anything else, I see myself as a storyteller. I might not consider myself to be the most skilled guitarist or singer, but I know that I can tell a story and tell it well – and videos are such a vital part of that experience. When I am making music videos, I always ensure that it complements, or even enhances, the feeling that I am trying to evoke through the audio. I remember the first time I dropped a video was for Gul in 2021, and although it took some time to get to that point of being able to produce a video from scratch, it performed really well, and the audience was able to connect with the story more deeply. That’s what taught me the importance of a video, which I have now come to look at as just another avenue to tell stories that strike the right chords with my audience.

Also the album artwork is very creative? Fans look for two things - new music and the album artwork. How do you pick the perfect cover art for your music releases?

Everything I do through my music is to tell a meaningful and engaging story – and that includes all aspects right from the melody and lyrics to the video and artwork. This is why I put in a lot of effort into the album art, which always has a lot of hidden references to it that set the mood for the music. For instance, my latest track Mazaak has cute references to gaalo ke gadhhe (dimples) which is why I collaborated with Anjali Kamat, an exceptional artist, who helped me translate this peculiarity in a visual format. The tiny heart on the girl’s cheek on the cover exaggerates this aspect of the girl’s smile, which would make her stand out even in a sea of a thousand people – this interpretation syncs perfectly with the emotion that I have captured in my lyrics and is possibly why it received such a brilliant response. Of course, it’s a very collaborative and spontaneous process, where my management team also steps in with their honest opinion to ensure that we are working in the right direction. I am glad that these seemingly little things are getting recognition amongst the right audience and that keeps fueling me to put in that extra effort in each aspect of my storytelling, including unique and creative artwork.

How is the experience playing live for your fans? Any special moment you would like to share with us?

Making music requires so much discipline and spending time alone with nothing but your thoughts, trying to capture it all in a song or two – so performing it live and seeing the audience get moved by your music is an overwhelming experience. When I play live, I feel like I can truly connect with them and create special moments that stay with me forever. When I performed at Bacardi NH7 Weekender last year, the experience was truly otherworldly. Seeing the love and support from all the fans that gathered to watch the performance warmed my heart and I was moved to tears. I think one very special moment was when the audience completed the lyrics, it just shows how much they connect with the music. Everything I do is for my love for music, and I will continue to work hard to make music that resonates with my fans.

Academically, what have you done? Was music a choice or did you have some other profession in mind.

I studied Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management, Mumbai. But I think music came very organically to me. I always knew that I wanted to make music, which is why I started learning the guitar and even set up my YouTube channel while I was still in school where I uploaded my first song Meri Baaton Mein Tu in 2012. After my graduation, I took up a job for a while but quit soon after to pursue music full time – quite possibly the best decision I have made in life so far!

You started your career by uploading original work on YouTube and now you’re one of India’s most-loved indie artists. What have you learnt all these years?

I think something that I have learnt the hard way is that as an independent artist, you really need to be a jack (or even master!) of all trades. Of course, making good music and working on your skills as an artist is one aspect that is a prerequisite. But beyond that, there are so many things that you need to dabble with like promoting yourself, managing shoots, scouting studios – and it all comes down to having a good business acumen. As an independent artist, you need to be really good at managing money and timelines and networking with relevant people to get access to countless opportunities that are happening around you at all times. For someone like me who used to be very shy, this has been a great learning experience but thankfully I have been able to make it work so far.

You’ve released nine singles so far. What’s holding you back from releasing an EP or an album?

To be honest, I am someone who takes my sweet time to write a song with an eye on releasing a final product that I am proud of. EPs consist of a string of songs and naturally demand a lot more efficiency. While I am trying to work on streamlining my process and having a quicker turnaround, my primary focus at the moment is on releasing good work without hampering the final product. Maybe I will consider releasing an EP at some point, but for now, I’m giving all my effort into every single track I put out and am planning to stick to that process for now.

What would you like to say to the aspiring artists and to your fans?

With the wave of independent music in India going strong, there are so many talented young artists who are joining the community today. These kids lead with so much passion and energy – it’s inspiring and motivates me to do the same! My only advice to these up and coming artists would be to, as I mentioned earlier, not stop at making better music over time – if you want to reach the right pool of audience for your work, you’re going to have to put in the extra work, understand the social media algorithms, network and really dig deep to find new ways to promote yourself to get access to the right opportunities. That is what will give you that extra jolt and help you accelerate your growth as an independent artist.

Interviewed by Verus Ferreira