Artist Session #15 - Musa's (IND) Journey Through Love, Loss, and Kashmir
We kicked things off by talking about what he calls his "loverboy" era, starting with ‘Jaane Jaana’ and how that song marked a turning point for him creatively.
A few months ago, I went on my first ever trip to Kashmir. They say if there is a heaven on Earth, it is in Kashmir and I found myself thinking a lot about god and nature, but also the preservation of unique cultures on that trip. In that process, I was reminded of Musa, a young and new singer from Kashmir. I met him first when I met Ahmer earlier this year, whose album ”LKBD” (Little Kid, Big Dreams) was my first experience of working in Hip-Hop and it revolves around Ahmer as a little kid, growing up with big dreams in Kashmir. Their song together titled ‘Khwaab Te Azaab’ really caught my ear and played on loop in my home for days.
I had the chance to sit down with Musa, whose voice caught my attention with its emotional depth and unique sound. We kicked things off by talking about what he calls his "loverboy" era, starting with ‘Jaane Jaana’ and how that song marked a turning point for him creatively. Musa shared the story of how he first dove into Music Production, despite not having any prior experience and how that spontaneous experiment led to something much bigger. From his early days singing Bollywood songs in front of classmates to discovering his voice in the studio, he opened up about his journey, the influence of his cousin Ahmer (our favourite Kashmiri rapper and one of the forerunners of the Kashmiri music scene) and how growing up in Kashmir shaped his music in profound ways. Our conversation was a deep dive into the heart of an Artist still discovering new layers to his craft and I’m excited to share it with you.
Srishti Das: Tell me about your "loverboy" era, starting with ‘Jaane Jaana’. It has a different vibe compared to ‘Khwaab Te Azaab’.
Musa: ‘Jaane Jaana’ was an experiment. Natiq sent me a few beats and one really caught my attention. I wasn’t sure I could pull it off, but I decided to try. I knew little about music production —I wasn’t familiar with any software or DAWs, but I figured out FL Studio and recorded the first scratch version myself at a friend’s studio. The process was spontaneous; I had written the lyrics just ten minutes before recording.
When I sent the track to Natiq, he was surprised and asked, "Why so dark?." The original lyrics were heavy, almost too dark to describe. But that’s just what came to me in the moment — it reflected how I was feeling. The idea for ‘Jaane Jaana’ actually came from a scene from The Office. Do you remember when Jim talks to Dwight about being depressed when Pam was away? He says, “Food didn’t taste right, and words seemed colorless.” Those lines stuck with me and that’s where the concept for the song began.
Srishti: I'm a big Office fan! I get that vibe in the song. I loved the reel you put out with the song; it captures the romantic essence of Kashmir so well in such a simple way. But let's rewind a bit. How did you get into music? Do you have any childhood memories that made you think this was when music started for me?
Musa: Even now, when old schoolmates hear my recent songs, they’re surprised because I was never the kind of person to sing in front of others. I was the guy who sang in the shower, not in front of people. But I remember this one moment in second grade,I had a crush on a girl.
Srishti: That early?
Musa: Yeah, that early! I think I sang something from Aashiqui 2 , although that might’ve been too late for me to be in second grade, or it was from some other romantic Bollywood movie that was popular back then. I sang it for her, and everyone clapped. She liked it. But the tragic part? She got promoted two classes ahead of me after she took some exams. I was like, "Wow, all that effort for nothing!"
In sixth or seventh grade, I kept singing, but in that awkward phase of a pubescent voice? It was rough. But my dad was supportive. He’d give me tips, like how to hit certain notes better. He was probably the one who pushed me to keep at it.
Fast forward to last year, in 2023 I was in Delhi, messing around on GarageBand, making a simple instrumental track on my phone. I played it for Ahmer who happened to visit, and he liked it. In five minutes, he sent it to Bobby (30Key!), an amazing producer. That’s when I realized I could do this. I put a bunch of tracks on SoundCloud, but I didn’t think much of it until I saw people reposting my songs. That’s when it hit me — people were actually listening.
I had some recordings to do for ‘Zinda’ at the time and a friend invited me to tag along to a studio. That was the first time I’d ever been in a studio and I remember how nervous I was in front of that microphone. But then I met Sharan, and musically, that was the best thing that ever happened to me. He really understood what I wanted to do with music.
After that, we had an idea for another song. It started as poetry over a DnB beat and it sounded sick, but we knew we had to take our time with it. I was juggling exams, shooting the video and recording songs all at once. That rush helped a lot, even mentally. Being busy wasn’t the healthiest thing, but it felt necessary at the time, especially since I’d been in Delhi for about a year and a half by then. Staying away from home was tough and engulfing myself in music kept me going.
There definitely is a factor of intimidation when you start working with someone who’s accomplished a lot in their career. But then it all boiled down to Sharan’s personality. If you aren't comfortable with the person, music aside, how can you be comfortable with making music? Sharan is so humble and down-to-earth. It’s not like a power dynamic where he’s worked for 15-20 years in the industry and doesn’t listen. He listened to my ideas but also told me where I was wrong. I was rushing into a lot of lyrics and he helped me with songwriting. He taught me that songs need pockets. When you hear some of the songs we’ve been working on, you’ll notice that shift. The most important thing I’ve learned from Sharan is patience. When I used to upload on SoundCloud, I’d put out tracks every week because I treated it like an assignment instead of something I love. But now I know you need patience. It takes time, mastering takes time. There’s a lot of work that goes into a song. It doesn’t just happen. Patience has been the biggest lesson.
Srishti: It’s great that you’re learning all these things early in your career. It’s something every artist has to go through.
Musa: Yeah, when recording, I often add a lot of harmonies and sometimes I struggle to follow through during the process. It gets frustrating and Sharan usually tells me to calm down and take a break. At first, I hesitated, but as I became more consistent with making and recording music, I realized it's okay to take things slow. Nobody really minds.
Srishti: Could you tell me about Ahmer’s influence on your musical career and life in general? I initially met you as his manager.
Musa: Ahmer is my cousin, my uncle's son. We’ve been close since I was a kid and our bond is different from the rest of my family. He introduced me to Hip-Hop,my first taste being Eminem’s music. I remember being hooked to ‘Mockingbird’ when I was around eight or nine thanks to him. We were also big 50 Cent fans, which played a big role in his musical journey.
I remember watching ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’ with him, even though I was way too young for it. Looking back, maybe I shouldn’t have watched it at that age, but it was an experience that stuck with me. I also saw him grow as a musician. I was there when he was using ReverbNation, making his first beats and working with FL Studio. I watched him repeat sessions 20 or 30 times just to make sure everything was perfect.
That attention to detail is what inspired me the most. Now, in my own music, I follow a similar process.I’ll do a full take, listen and then redo parts that don’t feel right. Even if it means recording on another day, I’m fine with it. His work ethic has shaped mine.
Honestly, if it wasn’t for him, I might not have even started making music. It’s easy to be scared at the beginning, but now I don’t care if people listen to my songs or not. I make music for myself — these songs are my creations and I just want them out there. Ahmer taught me to be comfortable in my own skin and to create music that’s true to me, regardless of what others think. Eventually, people will connect with it.
Srishti: I feel like your music strongly connects to Kashmir, much like Ahmer's. After spending time there, I relate to it even more. Your songs hit differently now. Can you tell me about your relationship with music through the lens of Kashmir?
Musa: Growing up in Kashmir shapes everything. It influences how you think and perceive the world. The meaning of words, dreams, and even pain is different for people in Kashmir compared to those outside. The pain here is unique and that naturally seeps into the music.
When I create, I often try to reflect this divide between two worlds. For example, in one of my songs, I touch upon the idea of Rumi and the struggle between right and wrong. The instruments in the beginning are more traditional, but then, as the song progresses, it moves into a darker space, almost like purgatory.
There's a warning in the middle of the song —"Don't fall in love,"and by the end, you can hear me screaming. That scream represents the emotion, the weight of the message. I feel an intrinsic need to convey something deeper in my music, whether it's through the lyrics or even the instruments, like the traditional Kashmiri instruments I've incorporated.
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