Bollywood singer Raahul Jatin on his new single and lessons he learnt from his dad

Dubai - Son of acclaimed Bollywood composer Jatin Pandit talks about his third single Yaadein Aane Lagi that features American actor and model, Madison Trunnell.

Michael Gomes

Published: Fri 13 Nov 2020, 2:36 PM

Last updated: Fri 13 Nov 2020, 2:37 PM

Singing comes naturally to Raahul Jatin, son of veteran Bollywood music composer, Jatin Pandit. The young artist, who made his debut in the Indian music industry with the melodious single ‘Aankhon Ke Ishaare’, recently released with third single, ‘Yaadein Aane Lagi’, a romantic ballad that has lyrics penned by his father and was composed by the young musician. The music video of the song, which was shot in the US, with a limited crew during the lockdown, features American actor and model, Madison Trunnell.

Talking about how different ‘Aankhon Ke Ishaar' is from his earlier songs, Raahul said, “Aankhon Ke Ishaare’ is a peppy romantic youthful number while the earlier ‘Prabhu Hume Kshama Kar’ is a prayer song that I did with my father. Whereas ‘Yaadein Aane Lagi’ is completely different, it’s a sombre ballad, but there’s a common factor binding these songs – love. The production values of ‘Yaadein Aane Lagi’ look huge, but you won’t believe it, the video was done with just a four-member crew, including me and the co-actor. Each of us doubled up for other missing departments. We did not have any hair, makeup or a lighting team or dress designers.”

Further explaining about the making of the song, Raahul said it took them just a day to shoot the song. “I composed ‘Aankhon Ke Ishaare' in about a week. After that, I roped in my American music producer friends and punched in the groove. This was my first song as a composer, but I knew that when I would pitch it to a music label, they would like it. The music video was also a learning experience for me. It was tiring but exciting. I did some backflips and cartwheels in the song. Digital music is not just about listening to a song, it’s about seeing as well. So, you have to be more than just a singer to connect with the audience. The song is also very different from what’s trending right now.”

Raahul learnt music from his father at a very young age and credits him for all the guidance her received in his early years. “I wanted to join the music business primarily because singing comes to me naturally. When I was five years old, my dad started teaching me classical music. Also, whenever he would compose a song, he would make me sing it. This was a very great way for me to train (and learn). I would find singing way easier than doing mathematics. As I grew up, I understood that singing is what I wanted to do because I enjoyed doing it. Classical music and playback singing are different ball games. Singing a song composed by somebody else and delivering it to the composer’s satisfaction is tough. But that’s something I learnt from my dad. As a singer, you learn a lot by practising the art every day. You will realise what you’re good at, your shortcoming and it will help you develop techniques best suited for you. There were some songs that I would enjoy rendering. At some point, I decided to get inspired by those songs and create my compositions – that’s when I stepped into composing. I’ve also learnt music production in the US.”

However, as a mentor, Jatin Pandit was able not only to impart music knowledge but also taught his son some valuable lessons that’ll help him in his career.

“My dad never pushed me, he just taught me music. But what I learnt most from him is dedication and commitment (to music). That's something that I have taken seriously. He also taught me about giving it your best, and making sure that you are 100 per cent satisfied with all the departments of the song (singers, musicians, engineers).”

While his father is a renowned music director, and it would only be a natural transition for Raahul to take to composing, the young musician said he has a long way to go before he branches out.

“I love both singing and composing. Singing comes to me naturally while composing is a bit technical. It is more of a process. This era is about making singles and if you compose your songs, you can perform better, you are more involved and absorbed in the process. I’m greedy as a musician, and I want it all. However, I need to walk the path to understand my forte and what would stay with me.”

Talking about how he spent his time during the lockdown, the singer said he was able to discover himself musically during the time. “The lockdown hasn't exactly been a great time in terms of meeting people, but I learnt how to make content for my YouTube Channel and Social Media, Premier Pro, Photoshop, Lighting and stuff like that. I’ve also become a better programmer and got to know a lot more stuff related to music production. I made lots of cover songs, besides, ‘Yaadein Aane Lagi' is through and through lockdown product.”

Apart from being a complete musician, Raahul is also an accomplished dancer and has learnt Bollywood freestyle dance at Shiamak Davar’s institute.

“I love to dance, read about cars, watch animated movies, and occasionally play video games. I’m also into gyming and gymnastics. I also have a penchant for action figures since childhood, I’ve been collecting them for long and just can’t outgrow that habit.”