Amit Trivedi talks about music in an era of reels and the need to constantly evolve

It didn’t take Amit Trivedi any time to realise how big a fan I was when I sat across from him, interviewing him, recently. While the world continues to hum the tracks of his latest, Qala, it’ll always be songs like Duniya, Nayan Tarse, Manjha, Pashmeena, Dhyan Kithe Dhyanchand, from a never-ending list that’ll have a special place in my heart. As part of a stellar line-up of music sensations for Royal Stag Boombox, I can only imagine what the other artists think about working alongside Trivedi. If only I could be a fly on the wall of that recording room. 

The music director and singer, in an exclusive chat with Cosmopolitan India, talks about living and adapting to the world of reels, trending songs, his music and more. 

Cosmopolitan India: Could you tell us about your association with Royal Stag Boombox? How do you feel to be a part of it? Tell us something about the song... 

Amit Trivedi: It all started with Viacom's initiative. I was told I will be collaborating with two artists, SlowCheeta (Chaitnya Sharma) and Ranveer Singh; I’m really excited to make music with them. I don’t know how to talk about music; it's been 25 years and I still don't know how to. I can only say that I composed it keeping Ranveer (Singh) and SlowCheeta in mind. I am a singer-composer and they are actor-rappers. The challenge was to create a song where a singer-composer can fit with two actor rappers while blending in the theme of Boombox. It's a song where contemporary Hindi music meets hip-hop.

Cosmopolitan India: What, according to you, makes the combination of Bollywood and hip-hop such a good one?

Amit Trivedi: There’s rhythm, melody, and poetry—it’s complete music. 

Cosmopolitan India: How do you tap into your creativity and ensure that it matches the genre of the film and the director’s vision?

Amit Trivedi: I can do it only now. It wasn’t the case when I entered the industry, and not even until the past five to six years. We hear these terms now because the amount of money plugged in has increased. But nobody knows if a song is going to be a commercial hit or not. We go with it instantly because it feels correct and apt for our talent and capacity. 

We redo the track if I, as the composer, and the director aren’t on the same page. They’ve hired me; it’s their film, money, vision, and script. The music is mine, but I can only put across a point. If it does not match the vision and situation in the film, there’s no point of the song. At the end of the day, they have to shoot it and feel inspired while doing so. Everyone from the actors to the people in the unit involved have to be excited. 

Cosmopolitan India: How did you manage to compose the music of Qala in just three days? 

Amit Trivedi: Anvita (Dutt), the director, came with the actress (Tripti) and her assistant to me, Swanand Kirkire, and Kausar Munir. The six of us—we’re friends first and are very thick. We’ve partied and chilled together, and that’s exactly what we did in Goa. Anvita brief us on where we got the narration in the evening. I told her that I’ll think and sleep over it. We started the next day and things just fell into place. She’s an open-minded and receptive human being who trusts us and believes in the process. It was all about her faith. 

Cosmopolitan India: Many songs are made just to trend these days, how do you think these songs can stand the test of time? Should they, in the first place? 

Amit Trivedi: It’s a new world that even I’m coming to terms with and learning with every single day. It’s about reels, the algorithm, and what’s trending. You have to adapt. It’s there, and that’s the way it’s going to be.

Cosmopolitan India: Do you think that the number of reels made using a song is a barometer of its success? 

Amit Trivedi: Yes, these days, it is one of the criteria. We are in the streaming world today. We get to know the numbers. Plus there’s YouTube and live shows, where the audience is right in front of us. But the best way to know it, always, is when you personally get messages. Someone has taken the effort to go out and message you because your song has impacted them so much. That means everything.