BENGALURU: Known for her mash-ups, city-based singer Arya Dhayal is out with a new song, this time an original one. Dhayal, who previously combined Ed Sheeran’s Shape Of You with Carnatic music, is already making waves with her new single. Called King of my Kind, it quickly went viral with 94,000 views in 23 hours. This tune too blends Carnatic music with pop. “The song is about my dreams, my feelings, the hurdles I face in a gender-biased society, and how I see my future,” says Dhayal, who wrote the song when she was 17-years-old.
Many might not know but this is actually her second single, the first one was called Try Myself, which came years before her fan following on the internet. Dhayal, who has 3.5 lakh subscribers on her YouTube channel, credits her new song to her followers. “The video looks great but it would not have been possible without people’s support.
For example, I had earlier made a video about me coming out with my new single and shared it on Instagram. So many reached out with financial aid without me even asking for it,” adds Dhayal.
Although fans love her Carnatic or regional songs, she does not want to restrict herself from experimenting and pushing her boundaries. She wants to explore new aspects of music and says, “Language plays an important role since people connect to that. My Malayalam songs will have more likes over anything else. But I don’t want to stop trying out new songs in English.”
The 24-year-old doesn’t just sing but pens her own songs too. Currently, she is undertaking training for civil services exams in Bengaluru. But Dhayal soon plans to move to Kochi, because her team and music is mostly based out of there.
Dhayal went viral during the lockdown when she started posting videos of fusion jamming sessions while playing the ukelele. Her following on Instagram soon grew from 4,000 to almost 30 lakh now. “Initially, the overnight fame felt like a responsibility but later I had to tell myself to calm down,” laughs Dhayal. Her fan base now includes Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan, who even shared one of her videos on social media during his Covid-recovery stint at Nanavati Hospital. “What is more interesting to me is that someone who doesn’t know you personally can still support and listen to your music,” says Dhayal.