He is only two songs old, but Maahi has already created an impression. Fresh from a performance at the Cannes Film Festival, the 19-year-old handsome son of singer Shaan chatted with t2 about his new single Jaadugari, what he hopes to imbibe from his father and how Shubh became Maahi.

What has the response to Jaadugari been like so far?

It is a special song for all of us and to see the response received in the first couple of days has been breathtaking. I am happy with how it is tracking and happier with the comments, especially with people saying it reminds them of their first love. The message we wanted to put across was about the fire in the belly you feel with first love, the passion.... To hear people reminisce about their first love or their current first love means the world to me.

Does the song come from a personal space?

It does. But then, I am only 19 (smiles). The song has been produced by my elder brother Soham and composed by Sid (Siddhant) Bhosle. Initially, we had different lyrics written but we got Shayra (Apoorva, lyricist) on board and the four of us wrote the song. A lot of the inspiration for that came from the fact that we are all young and we wanted to capture that in the song.

You have just started out. What would you pick as the highlights in your career so far?

At this point, I am focusing on making better music. Going to Cannes (and performing at the Bharat Parv event at the festival) stands out. As you said, I am just starting out and I would consider everything I do now as a highlight because I am doing it for the first time. Right now, everything is a blessing.

What was the Cannes experience like?

I am really grateful for it. I guess the stars aligned. I am filled with gratitude for being put in such positions so early on in my career. It is important that I seize these opportunities and make the best of them.

At Cannes, I was quite nervous at the start. But once you are on stage, it is just about enjoying yourself and making sure the audience enjoys. That applies to any stage, whether in Mumbai or in Cannes.

Given your lineage, was a career in music always on the cards?

I was about nine when I realised that I wanted to do this. I started taking it seriously only when I was 13 or 14. Post 14, I realised that there is a lot more that goes into this. Whether it be doing riyaaz or just staying sharp. It was then that I started giving it all I had.

Now it is about constantly getting better... keep doing riyaaz, keep working hard. This is a nascent stage and there are so many possibilities to grow at the moment. Right now, I am trying to capture all of them.

What is the toughest part of the journey that no one talks about?

I have had easier than a lot of other people. I have been blessed in that sense. For me, the focus has been to stay motivated and not get caught up in the numbers. I am only two songs old and I haven’t experienced the numbers game so far. Also, one needs to not get caught up in terms of short-term success. As artistes, we are all aiming for long-term success. We all want to do this for a long time. So the idea is to not feel the highs too high and the lows too low.

Honestly, it is easier said than done. It is something mom talks to me a lot about. At this point, things hit me way harder and seem more complicated. I hope to get into this mentality. I am prepping myself to get there.

Is your mom the one who keeps you grounded?

Both mom (Radhika) and dad keep me grounded. Mom’s mental awareness is very high. She gives me and my brother advice about the highs and lows of the industry... she has seen dad go through it.

My dad, even at the position that he has been in his career, has always been grounded. That has been a huge example for us. If legends of this industry can keep their feet on the ground, then I don’t think anyone who is two songs old should even think about flying high.

You were the opening act for Kailash Kher recently and Arijit Singh recommended your song. Those must have been huge highs for you...

To be able to open for Kailashji was an incredible opportunity to learn how these legends carry themselves before and after a performance.

Arijit sir sharing my song was a huge moment for all of us. Even my brother was thrilled because we are the generation that grew up with Arijit Singh being the soundtrack to our lives (smiles). He still is. So for him to say it sounds fresh was incredible. We were all mind blown and I don’t think I am still over it.

Unlike your dad’s generation that relied purely on their voice, being a musician these days entails having the arsenal to market yourself, whether on social media or otherwise. How do you approach that?

We can either look at it as a hurdle or as an opportunity to take one’s career forward. I am an eternal optimist and I see everything as an opportunity to showcase myself as an artiste.

Music is a personal thing. But there are also other avenues, like Instagram, that help an artiste share one’s story and personality. These things help one build a personal connect with the audience and enables the audience to understand where your music is coming from.

I am not fazed by this PR and social media thing that comes with the territory because I am from a generation for which this is very normal. I have grown up with social media.

I am also blessed to have a fantastic head on my shoulders. My family is there to guide me through it and it puts me at ease. I am privileged to be in this position.

Which was the first song sung by your dad that made an impression on you?

That is an interesting question. Everyone always asks me my favourite song of his, but no one has asked me the first one yet. That would probably be Bum bum bole (from Taare Zameen Par). I was born in 2005 and that was a quintessential children’s song that stuck in my head. Behti hawa (from 3 Idiots) also had an impact on me... it was the first time I felt a strong emotion through music. The composition by Shantanu Moitraji and the way dad has sung it, invokes a certain emotion in you.

Is there anything about how Shaan has gone about his career is an inspiration to you and Soham?

That would be his positivity, whether through his music or personality. He has made people smile and he has passed that down to us. I want to make people smile through my music. There is a certain space for sombre music and we will obviously end up doing that also. In fact, I am releasing something soon on those lines. But the general thing will always be to stay happy and keep that smile on.

How did Shubh become Maahi?

There is another artiste called Shubh. To avoid that confusion, we decided on a name change. A stage name is something I have always wanted and now I feel completely settled as Maahi. It is now as much a part of me as Shubh is.

What’s the story behind opting for this name?

The story I have been told to say by my mom is that... kyunki ‘Maa hi’ sab kuch hoti hai (laughs). But it was actually a combination of a couple of things. I wanted something with ‘M’ because our last name is Mukherjee. I am a big Dhoni fan as well. And I love the way it sounded. I was practising names in front of the mirror and nothing was clicking. But as soon as I said Maahi, it just felt right.

Is singing in Bengali somewhere on the horizon?

I would love to explore that soon. Bengali music has had such an impact on Indian music as well. Even in Hindi cinema now, there are such huge singers from that region, whether it be dad or Shreyaji (Ghoshal) or Arijit sir. There is something about our culture that everyone appreciates.

My grandparents — Sonali Mukherjee and Manas Mukherjee — were musicians. Music is very deep rooted in my family and I would love to explore singing in Bengali.

What is on your playlist now?

I love the new version of Ishq vishk (from Ishq Vishk Rebound). I also like Sajni from Laapataa Ladies. My brother’s band Citimall has released a song called Naadaniya and I have been listening to that. Apart from that, it is a lot of Arijit sir’s songs.

Priyanka Roy