Dehradun-based vocalist/producer Abhijay Sharma is brimming with raw energy and uninhibited passion. To get one of India's most loved actors, Vicky Kaushal, to dance to your tunes and emerge as an overnight sensation on social media through his latest single Obsessed, the 21-year-old artiste is willing to scale further heights. As he takes his music across the country, with his 21-city Obsessed Tour alongside collaborator Riar Saab, Abhijay speaks about his influences and aspirations.
When asked about his initial reaction when videos of Vicky dancing to 'Obsessed' surfaced online, Abhijay gushes, "When I first saw Vicky's reel from his dressing room, I was happy that the song reached him and he was vibing along. But, then watching him dance his heart out at a college fest, during his movie's promotion made me so happy. He was there for his movie's promotion and this song is not in the movie but still, people were asking him to dance on it which was crazy. His dance steps have become the hook steps of the song and it's wonderful to see how it has sort of become his identity now. "
So, does he aspire to sing for the actor someday? "It's nice to think that Vicky danced his heart out to our song without anything in return and he helped our song reach newer listeners. I think about it a lot that maybe, I'll sing for him someday. Or you never know Obsessed might be featured in his movie, you'll never know," the young artiste adds.
How does he view the unprecedented popularity of the song which was barely released two months ago? "It was never anticipated. We were just working on a good track together. Somewhere in between, we felt that this track might go viral because of the hook and its lyrics. They are very mainstream and commercial and this was my first Punjabi song that I'm doing with another artiste. So, it was special in its way. But, to be honest, I was not prepared for this kind of a reception at all, but I am grateful."
And, how did the collaboration fall through with his partner Riar Saab? “Riar is being managed by Gully Gang Records, for whom I have produced a few songs. One is Hustle Hai by Shah Rule and MC Heam. I kept in touch with the artiste and repertoire team for my independent projects. But, due to the constant back-and-forth, things couldn't go ahead as planned. So, I released my debut EP on my own. Later, Riar's team got in touch with me saying that they were seeking a producer who could bring a newer sound. That's how 'Obsessed' eventually fell in place."
Riar Saab and Abhijay Sharma
Currently, Abhijay and Riar Saab are touring across India. Talking about the experience, the singer Abhijay, “As a person, I'm a big fan of travelling, food and music altogether. And this tour gives me a chance to combine all the things I love. You get to perform in so many cities, witness their food and culture and you get to entertain your listeners with your music. Can this get any better? We already have Dubai in our league and I believe Kathmandu is also getting added. It's an artiste's dream to be able to perform and take their music to different cities."
Abhijay signs off by saying, "I am grateful to have such amazing and beautiful people around me, who listen to my music. I feel that more than the quantity of people listening to you, the quality of people listening to you is more important. I'm okay with lesser people listening to me as long as the ones who do are genuine."
