With his breakthrough as a songwriter in 2014 with superhit song, Prehistoric Love with Neda, music composer Denny has come a long way. Hailing from Australia, he is also a singer, composer and DJ, who is now based in Mumbai. Having charts like Time To Say Goodbye which went to number three on the French Album Charts in n2014, he has worked with multiple artists and songwriters.

To try his luck in Bollywood music, he shifted to Mumbai and fortune did shower upon him. He has written songs for and with Jaani, Vayu, Harrdy Sandhu, Aastha Gill, Palak Muchhal and Akasa Singh, while in India. Darshan Raval's super hit song, Do Din is Denny’s composition.

Denny has also released multiple official remixes of Bollywood and Pop songs from India, which have received heavy radio and TV play. His remix of Zaalima (RnB Remix) displayed his pop sensibility and distinct voice whilst the remix to Darshan Raval’s Tera Zikr was one of the most successful remixes of 2018 with over two million views on YouTube.

RnM team conducted a very interesting interview with him, where he spoke about his music career, the multi-faceted roles he plays as an artist, Hollywood and Bollywood music and the ongoing cut-throat competition in the world of music.  

How did you step into composing and singing since your debut was as a songwriter?

Out in the west, songwriters write their own lyrics and compose their own melodies. A lot of times, they can end up singing their own demos, so it worked out that way quite naturally for me.

How did you feel when the first song you had written gained so much of fame? Were you expecting this amount of success in your very first song?

The first song I released did receive a lot of TV play in Australia and UK as it was synced with a couple of very popular Australian soap shows. When we made the song, we knew we had a good song, but we didn't expect it to be picked up by TV shows and finish second in the International Song writing Competition.

You worked with several artists and songwriters in the years of 2015 and 2016. Are there any special memories you wish to share?

I worked with some great artists and songwriters during that period while I was making trips to Europe, so it was definitely a crazy time! However, I really enjoyed working with Tim Kellett, who was part of a famous British band- Simply Red and learnt a lot from my time working with him. 

Which song of yours do you personally have a very strong touch to? Is there any personal favorite?

It is Dido's song, Give You Up. We wrote that song during our times of going back and forth to Europe in 2014. We had a demo of Dido's recorded version of the song a few months later, but it only came out earlier this year. I vividly remember that particular session and hearing the demo and the current released version, and there is no difference. This is what I think is really great!

How has your experience of coming to Bollywood been like?

It has been great. I have always listened to and been passionate about Bollywood and its music from a young age. I visited India in 2017 for a couple of trips and since then I have been back more. The reason is that the labels and artists have been more and more familiar and receptive of my work.

How is working for Bollywood music different from working for Hollywood?

As of now, I have done all my work in the non-film space. I have noticed that the non-film scene is embracing different sounds and open to trying new ideas and therefore I have been enjoying that experience. I am working on some Bollywood projects recently, and the difference I found is that Bollywood is about finding the right balance between a great song and it fitting particular scenes and situations of the movie.

How was your experience working with Darshan Raval?

Darshan Raval has a great tone and was really open to trying different things. We ended up making a couple of songs, one of which was Do Din. Working with him has been a very fun experience.

Which artist do you dream of working with at least once in your career?

Craig David is definitely one artist I dream of working with because I grew up listening to his songs and it really inspired me. I would love creating music with Ed Sheeran and Khalid, since they are among my favourite artists. I would also look forward to working with Chris Brown and Zayn Malik if I ever get a chance to.

Who inspires you to keep going? 

I have a couple of close people who I trust immensely. They always push me in the right direction and are there for me regardless of different time zones. My passion and love for music is another major inspiration for my work.

Was there any rough patch in your career that you want to talk about?

This industry is always full of ups and downs. The best advice I received was - ‘don't ride the rollercoaster and try take the highs and lows with a pinch of salt.’ 

Do you think that cut-throat competition in the music field and its commercialization kills the art of creating music for the sake of art?

Sometimes, I think it depends on the type of composer/writer you are and on the kind of individual. I believe some people naturally make commercial music and some do not, so it is always about finding your niche and where you fit as a composer/writer.

Can you tell us about your upcoming projects?

I’m working on some Bollywood projects and some non-film singles. An upcoming song will be a release on VYRL, with a super talented artist called Yash Narvekar. It is very early to talk about my other projects right now.

What message do you wish to give our viewers who aspire to join the music industry?

Make music with the right intent, be true to yourself and be patient. This is something that I try to follow all the time!