Amit Trivedi has long established himself as a pioneer of Indian music with a sound that has gone on to define many Bollywood movies and actors of the generation. His latest track, Dhol, is a Navratri special, arriving right on time to fulfil the festive need for a fun and foot-tapping song.
Sung by Aamir Mir, Asees Kaur as well as Amit Trivedi, who is also the composer for the track, the song is defined by traditional beats mapping the “joy and excitement” of festivities and was released on Trivedi’s YouTube channel, AT Azaad by Amit Trivedi. It has been penned by Jayashri Trivedi. The Telegraph caught up with the singer-music director ahead of the release.
How has Navratri as a festival inspired you to make music? Could you give us insights into the making of Dhol?
I have been brought up in an environment where Navratri has been a big deal in our homes and society. We have always celebrated it with a lot of zeal and enthusiasm. Since the festival has been a part of my upbringing and my life, it definitely has played a huge role in my musical journey. We originally planned the song in Gujarati; however, we later changed it to Hindi and Gujarati to reach out to a wider audience. Aamir was introduced by his father Osman Mir who had sung Moti veraana” (Trivedi’s previous Navratri track) and I loved the texture of his voice and that’s how he came on board for Dhol with Asees Kaur.
Where did your musical journey start? Has the festive season played a role in the journey?
My journey in music started when I was in college, but it has been a huge part of my childhood as both my parents loved music and we had a musical environment at home. As a Gujarati, I have grown up listening to garba, dayro, lokgeet that my mom would sing around the house, and my dad would play Hemant Chauhan (folk and bhajan singer from Rajkot). I have also performed live shows for Navratri events before I started composing for films. So, in a way, Navratri has been a part of my music journey.
How well do you think the Indian audience is receiving independent music?
Music that is good will be accepted by the audience, indie or film. Having said that, yes indie music is booming lately especially in the last two years. More and more artists are foraying into indie music. I always felt, there should be an independent music scene in India.
What do you have in store in the upcoming months?
There are several projects in the pipeline. There are a lot of independent songs on my label AT Azaad. As for film songs, projects include, Goodbye, Doctor G, Uunchai, Qala and Rocket Gang.