Keeping it urban

It’s a common phenomena for musicians to start young and later pursue music as a career. Abeer Arora too followed the same path. Interestingly, Abeer realised that he had a knack for music when he was in the fifth grade. He was selected to be a part of the school’s assembly group and later he became a favourite amongst the music staff.

Coming from a Punjabi family, he wanted to pursue Punjabi music, but somehow, he started doing his own style of music. “I started singing in Bhojpuri. That was the first school competition that I performed in and won. I was also a part of patriotic competitions with my music teacher,” he elaborates. He however says that Bhojpuri singing was not his choice. It was his teacher who ordered him to sing the song at a Bhojpuri music competition.

Talking about his inspiration in the music industry, he expresses, “I listen to everyone. From J Balvin to Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. Inspiration can come from anywhere so I don’t limit myself.”

Recalling the challenges he faced when he decided to pursue a career in music he shares, “I started my career in 2017 with no connections. Now I have made some amazing friends and met some amazing people that I can depend on. But all I’ve learned till now is that it’s all a game of patience.”    

In the latter part of the conversation, he reveals that he has worked with renowned music composer – Manj Musik. Having learned a lot from him, he adds, “He’s a pioneer. He’s been in the industry for  over 18 years now and has a lot of experience. I got an opportunity to shoot with him in LA. It was my first time shooting out of India. I consider him as family now.”

His song Killer which he made in January 2018 recently crossed the two million views on YouTube and became viral almost instantly. Excited about achieving this milestone he adds, “To be really honest, I wasn’t expecting it.” Abeer’s music can be classified under urban Punjabi.

Critics and trolls are something that every artiste faces and Abeer is no different. On being asked about how he deals with them, he says, “I usually tend to ignore it because I know what I want to do and I’m going to keep doing it. If it’s good criticism, I will look into it and improve myself.”

Fusion music is trending nowadays. Experimenting with fusion should be done with the utmost care. He says, “You need to have the knowledge to do it. While making music, simplicity is key. You can’t overdo because you want to add fusion.”

Creating your style is pivotal if you want reach heights in the industry. A important rule that Abeer follows without fail  is, “If you see in Punjabi music, you’ll find singers doing the same thing. Your style helps you stand out from the crowd and you will be able to connect with the people,” he concludes.