MUMBAI: The very versatile singer, songwriter and composer – Hriday Gattani is gearing up to woo the audience soon with his first English romantic number Over You. The yet to be released song speaks about the complicated journey of a lover and kind of feeling he goes through while trying to get over the love of his life.

For the young singer Gattani, it is not the first time into music. Earlier he has sung for Banjo’s Udanchoo and Telegu film 24’s Prema Swaramulalo. He stepped into Bollywood with his debut under the tutelage of maestro AR Rahman with Maaloom and Tu Shining in the film Lekar Hum Deewana Dil.

We at Radioandmusic interacted with this multi-talented singer who happily shared more about Over You and its making. Excerpts.

Tell us a bit about Over You?

This is the first song which I actually wrote when I was 20 years old. I had the plunge into writing. It was one of those typical songs that every song writer has to write when he/she goes through a heart break. I went through a break-up and that kind of made me write this song one night. It’s a very non-perspective song which talks about how heart break feels, what it does to the person and the conflict it brings to you.

The song did take a while to come through.

I wrote it six or seven years ago and it just took me a week to finish the writing and fixing the song. The production took some time as it was my first song and I didn’t even know the functioning of software and programs then. Two years back I met a producer Gulraj Singh, a well-known keyboardist and music director. I played him a couple of my tracks which he liked. He agreed to produce the track with the finishing touch. It was a long process and the song has grown over the years.

How relevant is your song Over You?

The song is very relevant in the present age because it is a non-perspective song. Anybody can relate to this song because this is what happens when a heart breaks. The kind of feeling one goes through may be true or untrue but there are feelings you go through when you part ways with somebody. I think even in the present times these feelings are very prominent; pertain to this age also, it has not changed. The only thing that I feel has changed is the perception of the singing style of the song which kind of got re-invented for me. I grew as an artist and a singer, so the only thing I did with the melody when I revisited was I added a little bit of RnB touch to it. The song is relevant in all its originality.

Can you share something about the format of the melody?

It’s in both audio as well as video format as both the formats are needed. The audio will be released on all the digital platforms like iTunes, Saavn, Gaana, Spotify, etc. Both the mediums are important as they have to be present when you make a song. Now-a-days the visual medium sometimes conveys the message more strongly than the audio. It also increases the interest level of the viewer as one connects deeper on watching the video and they strike the connection with the melody more easily. If they want to hear again they can listen to the audio track but initially, it’s the video that gets viewed maximum.

Who all feature in the song?

It’s a contrast based video i.e. it has dance and choreography in it. There are two dancers Aishwarya from Jhalak Dikhla Jaa and Mohit. The choreography has been done by Nischal Sharma and I too feature in the video.

How different is it from your previous songs?

First and foremost it’s an English number and this itself makes it different. Every song has its own feel and treatment. My song is like an 80’s ballad with retro and classical feel in it. The beats of the music are too good for a dance. Well, it’s not a dance number but a slow song. I have done an outright song Sun Re Sajna which was a proper romantic song and Over You is also in the same space.

What are your current projects?

Well, I am currently working for a Marathi Film which will be disclosed soon. I am also working on a Hindi number which is a fun song, very close to my heart. It is driven towards the youth, very energizing and anthemic. I have chosen these vibes as it motivates the listeners without being preachy. I have also done an album with my band. It is a mixture of a couple of tunes that I have written in alt/rock space. Most of the tracks are in English except for one song which is a fusion. The album is composed of five tracks and will be released either in EP or single format soon.

You’re also performing at NH7 this year. What excites you the most about this festival?

This is an extremely exciting thing as I’ll be performing at Shillong which has a beautiful venue to perform. I have heard a lot about the Weekender that happens in Shillong. It is one of the best and highest attended. So I am looking forward to that day as it will be really special for me. I am planning to release my album around the same time. This time I’ll be performing with the four piece band and it will be an electronic experimental act.

Can you share your memories of working with legendary musician AR Rahman?

I feel so lucky to be working with him. It’s always a pleasure to work with such an experienced artist. I had an opportunity to study at his school and be around to help him in his studio. I used to sit and watch how things really work. It was a beautiful phase of my life because the music writing happened there. It led me to the opportunity of singing for a Bollywood film with him. I don’t understand how quickly it happened but as I look back it’s all beautiful. It was fun working with him because he always used to challenge us with the kind of melodies he puts out. I also had a privilege to perform live with him for one of the Weekender.