Singer-songwriter Armaan Malik is embracing the freedom and global recognition that come with being an independent artiste, while ensuring that playback singing doesn’t take a backseat. The singer whose latest track Bar bar releases today, says, “I have taken a keen interest in building this independent side because that is the true Armaan Malik. Having said that, I have sung some really beautiful songs for movies which will come out this year and probably next year. So it does co-exist for me. I feel that many artistes have shifted their focus to the independent side of their artistry now. And I think it is about time. We, singers, have been waiting on the sidelines for far too long as artistes, we’ve just been voices, but now we are the main character as well.”

‘I Am writing my own songs now’
Armaan tied the knot with beauty influencer Aashna Shroff earlier this year, and he believes marriage has brought about a quiet transformation in him and his music. “I’ve become more mature in the way I think, the kind of songs that I’m writing, the kind of lyrics that I’m focusing on. For the longest time, I was singing lyrics written for me by lyricists, but now I’m figuring out what I want to say. There’s a difference. There are so many feelings I’ve felt over these last few years that I never got an opportunity to say. But now that I am focusing on my journey as an independent artiste, there are a lot of songs that I’m writing myself,” he explains.

‘Now, my music will have more depth and weight’
Talking further about finding a creative partner in his wife, he says, “I have the most creative partner I could ever ask for. Aashna is extremely creative and hard-working in her field. There is an overall transformation in me, and I can gladly say it’s because of her. The man that I have become now is going to change my music for the better. My music will have a lot more depth and weight.”

‘Our Family is in the most beautiful phase that we have ever been in’
Earlier this year, his composer brother, Amaal, made headlines when he posted on social media about cutting ties with his family. Later, in an interview with us, Amaal spoke about how that entire episode brought their entire family closer. On an emotional note, Armaan adds, “Amaal is right. It’s got us all very close. Obviously, everything that happened is now in the past. We are in the most beautiful phase that we have ever been in. What happened was that we became collaborators. Now, we’ve just come so much closer, and we are in a much better and positive space. We have different conversations, which is beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever felt better.”

He adds, “We are so intertwined into each other’s lives in terms of music, in terms of collaborators, the song making sessions become therapy sessions for both of us. We get to talk about life a lot more. And now he doesn’t see me as his younger brother anymore. He sees me as a married man, which is very different. And we are kind of having very different conversations, which is beautiful for me. I don’t think I’ve ever felt better ever”