Born in India and raised in London, New-York based pop-singer A-Zal’s music is littered with a global, fresh and unique perspective that resonates with audiences worldwide.
His latest release “Movie Script” marks a new chapter in his musical journey, the track is a fusion of funky vibes, infectious rhythms and contemporary pop-laden melodies, creating the essence of his distinctive style.
We had the chance to speak with A-Zal about the inspiration behind his debut single ‘Movie Script’ and what it feels like to have his song in Marvel’s tv-shows’ soundtracks.
How would you define your genre of music?
My songs in a nutshell would be pop music that you love to listen to on the radio. In my upcoming songs, you will hear a blend of dance-pop infused with some retro synth-pop on occasion. My main musical influences would be a mix of Ed Sheeran and Dua Lipa, who are the closest artists to my sound. I love Ed Sheeran’s songwriting and meaningful lyrics, which are profound yet so simple. On the other hand, I love the crisp and impactful production of Dua Lipa’s tracks which carry an element of retro synth.
Do you remember the moment you decided you wanted to pursue music?
I was working as an executive with one of the world’s best accounting and advisory firms KPMG, and I distinctly remember the moment that I decided to do music instead. I was awarded the Exceptional Performer Employee of the Year and received a huge amount of recognition very early in my career. Although I felt rewarded for my efforts, I asked myself whether it was this reward that mattered to me or do I wanted to stand one day holding a Grammy Award in my hands. The answer was clear and I knew I wanted to make a career in music and go after the Grammy Awards, as opposed to a corporate award. That’s when I resigned from my plush job to follow my dreams!
How does it feel to have your music featured in shows like Loki? Was it a big shock?
Working on such big Hollywood shows can be career-changing. When Marvel Studios hires you, you better believe in yourself and back your talent. As artists, there are questions that float around in your mind when you have the desire to compete with the best in the world so, having such a big project under your belt is a big plus.
When Marvel Studios approached me for Loki, I was a bit surprised. It is because when I wrote to Marvel and other major Hollywood studios, I usually wouldn’t ever get a reply back. All of a sudden, one day to see their email pop up discussing Loki was just a surreal feeling. But, the more rewarding part was when they approached me for the second time for Ms. Marvel, and this time for two soundtracks. It felt better as I knew they had loved my music in Loki, or else they would never reach out to me for another show.
How does it feel to have your first single ‘Movie Script’ reaching an impressive #51 on the charts and being played alongside big artists like Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and Dua Lipa? Tell us more about how the song came together .
This by far is the best feeling I have had as an artist. I knew I was making songs which would compete with major artists but, charting in iHeartMedia’s Mediabase Activator TOP 40 charts in just the second week was something I never expected at all. I like to be dreamy and ambitious, but this was even beyond that. The song hit the charts at #114 in its first week and entered the top 100 in just its second week of release. The massive jump came in the third week when it climbed up to #62 jumping up by 31 spots. It’s currently #51 on the Mediabase Activator charts and I am one of the only three independent artists in the top 51 list. This is so rewarding as I am competing with major record label artists and feel honoured to be on the list.
How is your writing process different now compared to when you were writing movie scores?
The process of songwriting remains the same, but what changes is the character. In movies, I am writing for the movie characters and in my album, I am the character myself. What that does is it gets the best out of me as I know myself better than any other character I write for. When I was writing for movies, I loved going in-depth and understanding the characters. For example, when I worked on Loki, I went deep into understanding the character sketch. Tom Hiddleston played the character so well and I studied every emotion of the character along with the backdrop. Similarly, Kamala Khan’s character in Ms. Marvel was totally different so a completely different soundscape had to be designed. Writing for myself is easy and tough at the same time. It’s easy because I know my story in and out. However, what makes it difficult is to bring it correctly to my audience and fans. They want to know my true story through my songs and I have to keep it real, but also artistically apt for every song. That’s the challenge and also the best part of writing an album.
What made you want to make that change from writing film scores to pursuing your own music?
I listened to Ed Sheeran’s Perfect in loop for almost one year because I was in love with all the songs. I have never loved an album as much, including my own songs! It inspired me to write my own music and make this bold move to transition from film music to an independent artist. And, the love my debut single ‘Movie Script’ has got is so overwhelming and magical.
You also directed the music video for your single. Can you share some insights into the process behind it? How did the idea come about?
I made my directorial debut with music video for ‘Movie Script’. With ‘Movie Script,’ there was a party going on in my head with the tiny dancing characters which I wanted to bring to life visually. The idea was to seamlessly carry the song into visuals and portray exactly what I wanted the audience to feel. I wanted to give my listeners a cinematic experience. I never wanted to really get into directing my own videos initially as it requires another set of skills and a ton of time for execution. I initially spoke to many directors and realized I was just not feeling it come to life visually. That’s when I decided to self-direct it. Now, the challenge was executing what I had in my mind for the song. It was dreamy, cinematic, fun and based on heavy animations, after all, I have been working with Marvel for the last two years! The video took 4 months in post-production and turned out exactly how I wanted it to be. I am also self-directing my next few videos and it is such an amazing part of song creation. I realize that a music video allows me to tell the narrative of the song accurately to my audience.
What about the directorial process sticks out to you the most?
The process was essentially divided into two parts, conceptualising and executing. I had a very clear concept in my mind and executing that wasn’t as simple as just going on the floor and shooting. It had to be pre-planned as it involved heavy animation. I have to say working on the animations of the music video stands out as one of the most important parts. We worked on every part of the song separately, almost segmenting the song as I wanted the audience to feel a different emotion in different parts of the song.
How have your Indian origins and growing up in London influenced the way you make music, and now that you’re based in New York, what’s your strategy to translate your music for an American audience?
Growing up in London exposed me to British pop music at a very early age. It is somewhere in my roots and is now coming out in the form of my songs. It was in London where I first started picking up some vocal training in music classes which I worked on more as I grew. The strategy is to keep my sound original and keep my story true. I want my audience to know that these are not just my songs, they are a part of me. I have got so much love and support for who I am, and I hope they continue to show their support.
What’s next, any shows? Can we expect new music soon?
I will be going on tour only after my first album rolls out in the next year. I can’t wait to get on stage and play it live to my super supportive fans. I am releasing several singles in a stretch which will eventually consolidate into a record ’17 & 11 Nights’.
You can find A-Zal on social media and listen to his music on Spotify.
The Curve Magazine 