‘It has taken me years to accept that I’m successful’: Arjun Kanungo

23/06/2019

Arjun Kanungo has composed such an unusual tune for his new single Woh Baarishein that renowned lyricist Manoj Muntashir was at a loss of words while penning it. “Manoj sir says that he’s not used to writing in the metres and tunes that I compose. At one point, he asked me, ‘How do I even write to this?’ So, we worked on three or four iterations,” Arjun laughs. The musician is confident that the love ballad, also starring Mirzapur actress Shriya Pilgaonkar, will be his greatest hit yet. It’s the last track in the romantic trilogy that also includes Aaya Na Tu (featuring Momina Mustehsan) and Tu Na Mera. Arjun states, “The idea was to create something that lent itself to a story, drama and action. There are so many emotions in it that I think it’s the best song I’ve written.”
GRAND SOUND
Arjun recorded the song with a string orchestra, which makes it sound grand. “My vocals have never sounded so good before. Though, I lost my voice for a month after training hard for it,” he tells us, adding, “My voice is more rounded and heavier. It’s not damaged but there’s a change in the texture and tone. It will be evident in my next single.” Henceforth, the Gallaan Tipsiyan creator plans to only focus on one thing at a time if it’s as intense as this one.
ACKNOWLEDGING HIS SUCCESS
It’s been a 10-year-long journey for the 28-year-old artiste, who is riding the popularity wave right now. “I’ve struggled for so long and got so used to it, that it has taken me years to accept that I’m successful. In fact, the tough phase has made me appreciate success even more. In the last four years, life has changed in a big way so many people listen to my music, come to the concerts and so on.”
FOCUS ON POP
Even though he has had songs such as Khoon Choos Le in Go Goa Gone and more recently, the House Party Song in Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, playback singing is not on the top of his agenda. “I can do it anytime I want because it’s not age-bound. But for pop music, you have to be current if you want to sell an image,” he reasons. “When I started out in 2015, only a handful of us were trying to make it in the non-film space, unlike today. So, I have a deeper connection with the music as well as fans, who have grown in number over the years,” he elaborates.
ANOTHER TRILOGY IN THE OFFING
Apart from being a singer-composer, Arjun also has acting on his mind. Last year, he was seen in the web series Sidehero and he tells us that there are more projects coming up. “But music is my focus,” he asserts. Also on the anvil is another trilogy of singles that he plans to start dropping before the year ends.
“It definitely won’t be sad songs,” he laughs. After big collabs such as La La La with Neha Kakkar and Aaya Na Tu, the next one will be the second song in the series.
“It will have two male artistes and will be really big,” he concludes.

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