Singer-composer Amit Trivedi: The Day ‘Dev D’ Released, That’s When Everything Changed For Me

National Award-winning music composer and singer Amit Trivedi, known for some of his best compositions of albums like ‘Dev D’, ‘Udaan’, ‘Aisha’, ‘No One Killed Jessica’, ‘English Vinglish’, ‘Kai Po Che’ among many others, recently unveiled his new album titled ‘Songs of Trance 2 (SOT 2)’. His previous album ‘Songs of Trance’ which was released in 2020. 

Coming to ‘Songs of Trance 2’ (SOT 2), the album has a total of six songs named ‘Jhoome Nain’, ‘Puttha Paasa’, ‘Bairi Birha’, ‘Shariyat-E-Dil’, ‘Fursat’ and ‘Jhumme Raat’. In an exclusive chat with Outlook, the singer-composer opened up about the album and its songs, carving a niche for himself in the expansive realm of Indian music, and more. Excerpts from the interview:

You have unveiled the ‘Jhoome Nain’ song from your highly anticipated album ‘Songs of Trance 2’. Tell us about the song’s conception, how did you come up with it?

Like I said, this Trance album has a different state of my mind, obviously it is coming from the mind of Amit Trivedi but one of a different headspace, this is a different headspace, this Jhoome Nain was meant to be a little edgy, a crazy love song, between two people who have just met, who have matched basically on any app and they have just met and its their fun day out and there is lot of masti and lot of fun, there is no love here, there is mostly lust here. So, that kind of an edgy song. 

Your album ‘Songs of Trance 2’ is generating huge interest. Tell us about the songs that you have planned for it, and why the title - ‘Songs of Trance’?

SOT means trance again, and as I said, trance is just a state of mind, it's just where you are tripping, where you are confused, you don't know where you are heading, you dont know whats going on, so these are the kind of songs which also have that feeling, like Bairi Birha, is the song of uncertainty, Shariyat-E-Dil, is a song where most of the times it happens, when people have very bitter experiences in love, hard experiences in love and relationships, they tend to lose faith and lose complete faith in love. 

Puttha Paasa clearly says “yaraan pyaar na kari, dil nu rona nahin, varna padd jaana puttha paasa'' means, don’t fall in love because things can go either way, things can go south also, toh matt pado unn chakkaron mein. Then there is Fursat. Fursat is a semi-classical lounge fusion kind of song, it is very laid back very easy, it talks about a wife who has been waiting for her husband for 6 months, cause her husband works in the navy and he has gone sailing and he will come back after 6 months, maybe fighting a war or something, and after 6 months he is coming and how she is waiting for him with so much anticipation, but this song has a very sensual angle to it, that's how their chemistry and bond and all, its very much more sensual. 

Last one is Jumme Raat, Jumme Raat is a very spooky one sided love story, spooky because it happened the night before friday, the night before friday is called jumme raat. When you hear the songs, you'll know what I’m talking about but these are the stories behind it

Ahead of Navratri this year, you collaborated with Osman Mir for 'Maari Maavdi’. After the huge success of Moti Veerana, what are you looking forward to with this one?

Same. What else? That's what we want, we all want that it should meet with the same fate and success, and since navratri is around the corner, it is, see there is a huge difference between Moti Veerana and Maari Maavdi. Moti Veerana is a very celebration, fun song, absolutely fun song, which is just celebrating and calling maa ambe. But here Maari Maavdi, I am right in the middle of the ocean, my naavadi, my boat is stuck in the middle of the ocean, amidst a storm, the only one who can take me out of this storm is you maa, so take me out of this situation. It's a little prayer, so there is a difference between the two.

In your career, you have managed to carve a niche in the expansive realm of Indian music. Tell us one event from your life that changed things for you entirely? 

Which is Dev D. 6th feb 2009. The day ‘Dev D’ released, that's the day that everything changed. 

What genre of music do you like the most? And with songs of trance, are you making your own version of the genre?

Definitely I am making my own version of the genre, but off late, I am very very synth wave, electronic, all types of electronic music and synth wave is the trip that I’m tripping on, just having fun with it.

Do you enjoy making music for films or more independent numbers?

I just enjoy making music, everything is fine.

Lastly, tell us more about your experience shooting for Amazon Music's This Day That Year (TDTY).

It was an experience that was unlike any other. I am usually quite bad with remembering dates but today I realised how important these dates are. While doing This Day That Year for Amazon Music, I realised there are some key moments in your life that are really remarkable and one should remember those. I have learnt to always cherish these days now, otherwise, you take these days for granted, but remembering that this event happened on this date, it is a special feeling.