Armaan Malik: ‘Majority of listeners understand the indie music industry’

Armaan Malik

For Armaan Malik, Tera main intezaar is his gift to fans who have been seeking a collaborative work of the Malik brothers after Bol do na zara. "The two of us have worked on a song after a very long time, so, it is indeed special. We didn't have a brief, and that is the best part of working independently. We can set our way, choose our instruments, and make our arrangements. After we made the first half of the song, we had our dad [Daboo Malik] listen to it. He suggested adding more elements, and there was a lot of experimentation involved," says the singer, who joined hands with writer Kunaal Vermaa for the release.

The love song plays to the strengths of the singer-composer duo, known for crafting ballad-like renditions such as Tum aaogey, and Chale aana. "While creating the antara, we had a vision - we wanted to only use a guitar and a piano, but eventually, we saw that the song needed more. Toward the end, it leads to a crescendo. We believe it was perfect."

Among the Indian artistes who have enjoyed successful runs in both the independent music industry and Bollywood, Malik says he is elated that the former has grabbed the attention of music aficionados. "This is the best time for independent musicians to flourish. The medium allows artistes to enjoy creative freedom. People around the world are consuming Indian music, and a majority of the audience understands this industry. I'm glad that my journey as a singer started with an independent album called Armaan. This was way back in 2014, and a song from that album was featured in Salman Khan's movie, Jai Ho."

Addressing the challenges of transitioning from one industry to another, he says, "On one hand, [success in the film industry] is helpful because the monthly listeners you acquire on streaming platforms are due to your work in films. On the other hand, those listeners who like your film songs may not connect with your independent work. I believe 70 per cent of my followers love my film work, while 30 per cent follow me for my work [as an indie artiste]. As I make more music [as a solo artiste], I hope to improve that ratio."