‘I want to recreate the 80s sound’: Zaeden after releasing his debut album ‘Genesis 1:1’

It is easy to imagine artists eternally submerged in their art, like mango in a pickle. But in most cases, it is reductive thinking; their art is not their sole muse; it is just a way of expression. They try out different activities, go to new places or consume other art forms and literature so that these things, at some point, serve as an inspiration for their art.

Zaeden, after the release of his debut music album, Genesis 1:1, is doing exactly this. He is learning how to sketch. He is also watching fashion documentaries. “In Halston [a miniseries based on the life of the eponymous fashion designer], it was amazing to see him get inspired by the environment around him and channelling that energy into his fashion. A similar thing can be done with music as well, so that’s what I’m hoping for,” he says over a call.

Genesis 1:1 is a collection of 11 tracks tied together with the theme of love. “When I started writing my first song ‘kya karoon?’, I got ideas which were similar sonically, but different lyrically. So I just thought it is better to compile them into an album,” he says. About the title, he says, “The word ‘genesis’ in its literal sense means the birth of something novel. It’s the perfect analogy for my career.”

Zaeden was introduced to music early. He started DJ-ing when he was 14 a. A year later, he quit DJ-ing. “I was not challenging myself. I was doing 13 shows a month, playing the same sets. I was not able to express myself through what I’m doing; so what’s the point of doing it?”

So, he became a singer-songwriter. But this transition did not happenovernight. “First, I started playing the guitar on top of songs while DJ-ing, then started singing. Then I thought, ‘Let’s give a live performance.’

In the next few years, he performed at renowned music festivals Tomorrowland and Marenostrum and in clubs like Ushuaïa, Pacha, and Privilege in Ibiza. He also performed alongside Justin Bieber during the India leg of his Purpose Tour in 2017. A year ago, he released ‘kya karoon?’, which has over four million views on YouTube.

In the description for Genesis 1:1, Zaeden writes, “All this while, through the transition, I’ve come to re-discover myself as an artist and I couldn’t think of a better word than ‘genesis’ to describe the birth of my new sound.”

In the sea of existing sounds, how does he find a “new sound”? “Sonically, Genesis 1:1 stands out compared to other Hindi pop albums,” he says, “These days, if you check out the main Spotify pop hits playlist, most of the songs sound the same. And that’s something that I don’t wish to do. I need to stand out from the rest.”

For his next project, he plans to recreate the “80s sound in India.” This idea, he says, is borrowed from The Weeknd, his favourite artist. “If you listen to the latest Weeknd song, it is clear that he’s heavily influenced by the 80s bands that used to have the drums and the guitars. So, I just thought if that sound is working in the West, bringing back that sound in India could be pretty interesting.”

The next project, however, will take a while. “For now, all I have is an empty canvas in front of me.”