Keshuv Huria on composing film scores and the meaning in his music

Written by: Deepa Somasunderam

Welcome to our latest series, Emerge. We are spotlighting creative peeps who are from Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. Creating in every language you can possibly imagine, we want to highlight these international tastemakers. We are talking to them about their career journeys, beauty secrets and wellness tips.

When Keshuv Huria released Ye Teri Meri Kahani in 2022, people started paying attention. The breakout single from his debut album, Aparna, the song won him thousands of listeners.

2022 was a busy year for Keshuv: he’s adding to his impressive portfolio with more singles, even directing his own music videos and composing soulful film scores for indie films. He also put together the Indian Choir in the background score of the blockbuster Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva, the first part in a fantasy action series that was one of the biggest Bollywood releases that year.

A singer, songwriter and composer, Keshuv told us more about his love for rainy days and the importance of staying true to his creative process.

How are you doing today?

Not so bad. I wait for Mumbai's monsoon because of my love for rains. It's another rainy, gloomy day here. Perfect to pour myself a cup of coffee.

You’ve had a lot of recognition over the last few months - how has that been for you?

Not sure about a lot of recognition personally yet but I get what you mean. The work has gone places be it my film score or my independent songs. The numbers online are overwhelming yet humbling at the same time. And i know it's only the beginning.

Have you always known you wanted to be a musician?

I think so, yeah. I was put into music education very early in life by my parents when I was just 6 years old. Although I didn't decide back then but music became a part of me ever since I was a little kid and it was an easy decision to make later when I had to choose a career path.

As a graduate of KMMC, what were some of your most memorable times there and how did that shape you as an artist?

“I think realising the fact that I could write as well was a major turning point and the best decision.”

— Keshuv Huria

Living in Chennai would always remain a very important time of my life. It was the first time I left home and family to move elsewhere and live independently. Those formative years not only helped me shape up as a musician but also the human I am today.

Studying at KMMC was absolutely beneficial. You learn so much not just in the classroom but also from conversations with other musicians.

I also simultaneously studied at Muzik Lounge School of Audio Technology there where I learnt music production which again was equally important in shaping up my musicality.

Tell us about your creative process. How do you get started on writing or composing a song?

It varies from song to song. There's no fixed process. It could be a melody that strikes you out of nowhere. It could be a lyrical idea maybe a phrase or something that really excites you. I've to spend some time with the idea, if it stays with me, it's only then that I move forward otherwise I scrap it. Once I am convinced , I sit on my piano to work on it and develop both the melody and the songwriting simultaneously.

Tell us about the beautiful Ye Teri Meri Kahani. What was the inspiration behind this song?

Ye Teri Meri Kahani was a part of my debut album 'Aparna' that I released last year.

It's a duet sung by me and Sumedha Karmahe and to the date continues to be my most streamed song so far across platforms to my surprise because it's my least favourite song in that album personally but you never know what clicks with audiences.

The inspiration was this on and off equation I had with someone for years that I wanted to express.

As an independent artist, what are some of the best decisions you have made in your career to get you to where you are today?

I think realising the fact that I could write as well was a major turning point and the best decision because up until 2015 I was just solely interested in composing & producing and independent singing songwriting wasn't even on my radar. But then after that I worked on my writing skills, my vocabulary both in Hindi and Urdu and started putting out my independent songs from 2019-2020 onwards once I felt I was ready.

Another influential decision was to team up with Reena Gilbert, my mix engineer, who works with me on all my projects and helps me achieve the sound I desire.

And then obviously another important decision was to tie up with Wynk Music in early 2022 and needless to mention it's one of the main reasons why the last one year has been my most successful because of the platform and support they provided.

What are some of the challenges you have faced developing your career as a composer in such a competitive market?

I think more than external challenges it's the internal challenge that I like to face which helps me create my next song.

I don't like to be a part of the rat race that's why my songs are not at all aligned with what's trending right now.

And there lies the challenge you know if my work can stand the test of time and still be relevant in years to come.

External challenges will always be omnipresent and change with changing times, you've to have a thick skin and channelise your energy towards your art rather than worrying about competition.

You wrote the original score for the movie Mariam. What was that experience like?

Mariam was my second indie feature film with director Arvind Pratap after The Reluctant Crime.

Writing the score for this film was actually a therapeutic experience because of the honesty of this film and the character created by Arvind.

The film premiered at the prestigious Busan International Film Festival 2022 which is a big deal just like when my debut film Life of an Outcast made it to MAMI 2018.

I am really grateful to have worked on subjects and scripts of such depth and substance.

What has been the most meaningful song you have written or composed?

Difficult to pinpoint just one but going by recency bias, I'd pick my last song Kaheen Dur because I wrote this song immediately after moving to Mumbai in 2019 which reflected my state of mind back then which i think is relatable and relevant to every artist.

Who are some of the artists you would like to collaborate with?

I consider Sid Sriram as the most skillful and versatile singer of our generation in India right now and it's a long time desire to work with him hopefully someday.

My favourite singer songwriter Lizzy McAlpine's music has been a huge influence on my work in the last one year so if I ever get to collaborate with her, that would be like a dream come true. (Fingers crossed)

We enjoyed the video for Kaheen Dur! How do you make fashion choices for your music videos?

Thank you. I'm glad you did because I directed and edited that music video too. For this one in particular I went with the color tones that could compliment the outdoor/ indoor locations. Since the song is about my personal life, I wanted to look authentic and not someone I am not.

How do you wind down and relax after a busy day?

It's either some cricket or watching some film or show. Plus these days I am also involved in theatre acting so you know exploring a new art form kind of takes me away from music and helps me unwind.

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