As his latest English song ‘U’ in a Paris setting, Armaan Malik elaborates on how budding artists should navigate a buzzing streaming industry
Ten years ago, if someone told 16-year-old Armaan Malik that in 2021, he would be filming a music video in Paris that would cross 15 million views in less than two months, what would be his reaction? At this, the now-26-year-old hitmaker laughs, and chooses to be grateful about his career so far.
On a call from Dubai, Armaan can sense new scenes in his music career, which has been marked by his latest single ‘You’; The song’s music video was shot in the City of Love – checking Armaan’s bucket list – and the overall atmosphere of the song is more introspective, in contrast to his usual uptempo and dance-friendly vibe.
“When I started music for an English number, I wanted to offer something different,” he says, “so for ‘U’, I could channel my need to do a love song.” Using the guitar extensively, his vocals empower a new range of vocals: softer, louder and more calm.
Armaan had received demos for the track from longtime collaborator and LA-based musician Natania Lalwani and producer Jack Edwards. The team composed the song through a virtual session but it worked well. He recalls, “The song is the epitome of what we were feeling about ‘first love,’ and we wanted it to feel like a page in everyone’s life-book.” “In the last few weeks it’s been out, I’ve seen the reaction. But apparently, there’s still a lifetime to the song that it determines, which is bringing people together.”
When Armaan Malik was in Paris for Paris Fashion Week in October 2021, he and his team took the opportunity to film for ‘U’. “It was a no-brainer,” he recalls, “and the fall aesthetic of the video added to the intimate song, too.”
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While ragas and songs are a priority for Armaan, he is also keen to take advantage of the right technique. Gone during passive listening; People want to fully engage with all the layers of the track. “Whenever I’m in the studio, in addition to my usual work of singing, I’m also part of the music-making, which includes arrangements during which we improvise such as reverb and delays that are included during production, ” they tell . “For ‘U,’ Apple Music’s spatial audio and Dolby Atmos translate these nuances so fans can immerse themselves in a song.”
He expressed similar sentiments in a recent interview with Brooke Reese of Apple Music Radio, where he was the first Indian musician to feature on the show to reach over 100 countries.
biz side
The past two and a half years have been tough for musicians and Armaan sympathizes with those who have not reaped the rewards of a live music scene.
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Despite a fair amount of success over the years Ala Vaikunthapuramulu‘Batta Bomma’ which went viral and His dubbing work for the Hindi version of Guy Ritchie’s 2019 live-acted film ‘Aladdin’, he admits that his mental health has been hurt. “For a long time, I felt very low, not knowing when I would be able to put on a song or video and play it live. And it’s a chain reaction: I have a band that It’s up to me for my show; if I’m not playing a show, they’re not getting paid for it.”
But he points out that the key to adapting going forward is, “It’s our livelihood and although we feel good doing it, we all have bills to pay. So many musicians rely on live gigs and studio shows and They have been forced to switch to a new medium. People who have found a way to make it profitable have benefited but it is not for everyone. But the only way to deal with it is to realize that life is digital. Moving on to the era.”
in future
Now with more Indian musicians like Ritviz and Daler Mehndi moving into the metaverse space with virtual concerts and NFTs, Armaan – who admits he is not well-versed about these emerging technologies – shares how he learned Maybe that’s how it all works because that’s where the world is going.
As well as the complexities of the technology, Armaan believes that budding and seasoned musicians should know how to navigate the controversial music streaming industry. “Getting the art right is the first,” he says, “and the second is to educate yourself with the business side of the industry. Having worked both with and independently of labels, I would suggest that all musicians do their music. Even if you make a dollar or two, it’s yours – and that’s empowering. Many people haven’t been able to because as you advance in your career, you’ll have to deal with labels and other people in the industry. Support is needed … and now we’re seeing more musicians break that rule, creating something from scratch on their own.”
He adds, “Many people do not understand the revenue model of streaming sites and other ways to make money from their songs. There are several ways to access this information. A few years back, many Indian musicians could not reach international audiences without streaming services. [like Gaana, Apple Music or Spotify], While there are many explainers on YouTube and on the subject, I wish there were more portals in India educating people on how to monetize their original music. ,
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