An Interview With New Delhi Born Artist, VARDAAN ARORA!

Named by Buzzfeed as having one of the most underrated Pop songs of 2016, New Delhi born artist Vardaan Arora is certainly here to leave his mark on the music industry with his undeniable talent and original sound.

After posting several cover songs on YouTube, Vardaan teamed up with Nashville based record producer Kevin Leach and Grammy award winning mixer Nathan Dantzler to create the self-written, tropical Pop summer anthem “Feel Good Song.”  In addition to Buzzfeed’s coverage of the song, the track charted on Spotify’s Global and USA Viral 50 Charts.

After releasing his following song “Just Like That,” Vardaan is now set to put out his third self-written single titled “Poison,” a track that will truly mark a milestone in his sound.

Releasing “Just Like That” after “Feel Good Song,” Vardaan felt the song was the next natural step as both songs followed similar formulas.   Ready for the next chapter of his career and progression as an artist, Vardaan worked with an entirely different team on his upcoming single “Poison.”  What Vardaan feels is most noticeably different about this song are the vocals.  He pushed himself to go out of his comfort zone when recording them, thus creating a whole new sound for him.  “Lyrically, the song is about something or someone toxic in your life that you keep around even though you know it’s terrible for you. This could be a person, a habit, or a relationship.”

Follow Vardaan Here:

https://twitter.com/vardaanarora

https://www.instagram.com/vardaanarora/

http://www.vardaanarora.com

Learn more about Vardaan in the following All Access interview:

Thanks for your time! What are some words you would use to describe 2016? What were some of the highlights for you and your music? What are you most excited about for 2017?

Of course! Thank you for having me!

2016 was definitely a weird year. Personally, I’d say it was a good year that marked a lot of milestones for me as an artist. I wrote and released my first single last year, and it opened so many new doors for me to be able to express myself through. Politically, though, it wasn’t the best. I think most of us can agree about that. Moving forward, I just want to be able to use my voice – whether it’s through my art, or even just every day conversation – to make a change in people’s lives. I put out two singles last year, and I just released my latest single Poison to kick off the new year with a new sound. My hope is to continue to grow in the coming year.

Growing up, did you always want to be a musician? Can you recall your first musical memory?

I always knew I wanted to perform. There was no doubt about that in my mind. I’d say that my own imagination was the root of a lot of my happiness back when I was a kid. When I was in the third or fourth grade, I distinctly remember dragging my mom to this sub-par electronic store back in India to buy me a microphone. I went home, hooked it up to my computer, and recorded myself singing. It probably wasn’t very good, but that memory sort of reminds me how early on I developed a passion for singing.

I’m curious to know how your music has been influenced by your Indian culture?

You know, most music that’s on the radio in India is from the soundtrack of a Bollywood film. That’s what sells. I’d say that it helped me develop an ear for certain melodies that may be considered unconventional in the West. I have to say, though, that I was always fascinated by pop music being made outside of India. That’s why a lot of what’s happening in my career right now is surreal to me. I live in New York. I write music. I work with incredibly talented people. I wish I could go tell my thirteen year old self that.

How do you think your music has changed since you released “Feel Good Song?” What is different about your latest single, “Poison”?

Feel Good Song was the first song I ever wrote, and it’s also the first song I ever released. The hype, excitement and support around it was incredible. It’ll always be close to my heart, but I released Poison because I think that experimenting with different sounds is what makes an artist grow. Lyrically, the song is very relatable. It’s about something or someone that you actively pursue in your life even though you know it’s terrible for you – and it’s safe to say that a lot of us have been there. In terms of sound, I think Poison is a little more aggressive. It’s darker, a little futuristic. Definitely something you can get up and dance to more instantaneously.

How did you go out of your comfort zone for your newest batch of songs like “Poison”?

I can’t fully take credit for that. I was in the studio with Elliot Jacobson and Chris Leon – they both worked on the track – and I recorded the song an octave lower at first. It wasn’t as energetic, and they urged me to go higher. Feel Good Song still uses my lower register, which I guess I’m more comfortable with, but it was awesome to be able to explore my range with Poison.

What artists have continued to inspire you and your music? Who would you absolutely love to work with in the future?

There are so many incredibly talented artists out there, it’s so hard for me to narrow them down to a list. It’s been inspiring to see a lot of newer artists enter the market and really kill it, you know? Troye Sivan, Dua Lipa, Zara Larsson, Alessia Cara – they’re all so young and so talented. I’d actually love to work with Alessia Cara. She has a beautiful voice and is a phenomenal writer, I feel like being in the studio with her would be a lot of fun.

At the end of the day, what do you hope your fans take away from your music? What do you hope is the message of your songs?

You know, I really just want people to be able to listen to my music and think to themselves – “oh, other people out there feel like that too”. The world can be isolating sometimes, and knowing that there are people out there going through the same thing you’re going through can really be an amazing feeling. That’s also why I try to draw from personal experiences when I write.

Is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers about yourself and your music?

This journey that I’ve been on over the last year with my music has been so exciting, and I feel like it’s only the beginning. I just want to, from the bottom of my heart, say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported so far. People listening to my music means so much to me, and there’s lots more to come.