“I have come to India to build relationships by my music with the Indian audience” - Ajay Shrivastav.

He has occupied the stage alongside ‘The Cool Ruler’ (Gregory Isaacs) and the ‘Hot’ Khan, worked alongside amazing bands and artists such as Jamiroquai, The Brand New Heavies and Apache Indian. He is well known for his stunning guitar work and self-penned hits like “Aaja Sajana”, “Kasam Se” and “Funki Dholi”. Ajay, the multi-talented performer is now looking forward to a successful career in the Asian Sub-Continent.

With the release of his first solo album ‘Aaja Sajna’ by YBR Records, Ajay has joined the league which includes names like Lata Mangeshkar, Adnan Sami and Sonu Nigam as part of YBR‘s non-film repertoire.

Already a rage in clubs as a live performer, here he talks about his music and first solo album ‘Aaja Sajna’ before leaving for his next live performance in Animax's Wacky Jockey Hunt in Bangalore this weekend.

Interviewed By Vishal Verma

Q:‘Aaja Sajna’ offers what kind of music?
A: It’s a global mix of sounds, songs from all genres.
Each song expresses different feelings, emotions ‘Aaja Sajna’ is the title track which is inspired from the shared feelings with friends about love and life. Dance tracks like “Funky Dholi’ based on kerala beats. Some bhangra feel in ‘yeh duniya’, deeper tracks as well, like ‘Sapne’ which is all about dreams. A couple of instrumental tracks, which adds flavours to the album.
And also a couple of remixes.   

Q: So how do you define your music?
A: I listen to lot of things, rock, hip hop, classical, South American music, bollywood stuff, Arabic, so basically what goes in comes out.  It’s a fusion of all aspects of sounds which blends all the emotions of life, its passions and relationships.

Q: How much are you confident about the album?
A: I am very much confident about the album which is all about relationships and I have come to India to build relationships by my music with the Indian audience.

Q: Which is more thrilling performing live or recording?
A: Performing live is most thrilling.  It’s like sharing the experience with your band members and also the audience as well, it’s a sharing experience altogether. Whereas, singing or writing is much more solitary. You record your songs in a recording studio and later you come to know about the response.

Q: Playing guitar at 12 and now a debut album………..
 A: I started playing guitar at 12 years of age; I studied music, Indian theories, and western classical theories. Developed my band, toured UK, Europe played as a lead guitarist. I have always been writing since I picked up the guitar. What I believe is a musician should express himself in his words, his feelings in his music. Initially I wrote in English but later on a couple of years back I started writing in hindi. I wanted to express in hindi and try something in my culture. That’s how this album came about.

Q: What makes it different?
 A: I have played, sung, and written all the composition. Normally, in music you have a musician, singer, lyricist who are all from different sects. They combine together and a number is created. But here, all these elements come from one source that is me and also it has a global sound which soothes every ear. I think that makes it different.

Q: Coming across bollywood music, and his inclination….
A: Bollywood music was the first type of music I started listening to as a kid. My parents use to have some interactions with the bollywood kind of music like Naushad, Shanker Jaikishen, RD Burman Kishore Kumar.

My self discovery came when I discovered the Beatles, South American Music, Black American Music, Reggae, Jazz, great legends like Georgy Issac- the predecessors of reggae.
Now I try to keep in touch with the ongoing trends.  

Q: On Today’s Bollywood Music…..
A: It has changed a lot. The traditional way of lush arrangements are gone and now it has become more clubs centric. More and more club based.

Q: Any Bollywood plans ……
A: I do have certain ideas. Will definitely like to do something in Bollywood. My idea in a Bollywood format.