Pop goes India
Two decades, hundreds of chart-toppers, and a truckload of Grammys later, American hitmaker Savan Kotecha is hitting rewind—and heading back to his roots. He's written for Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, One Direction—and now, he's coming home to make pop dreams come true in India. The songwriter and record producer is setting his sights on something he's never done before: launching India's first global boy band. Kotecha is looking to inspire a whole new generation of Indian youth—by giving them the tools, stage, and spotlight to become international pop stars.
Born to Gujarati parents from Uganda and raised in the US, Kotecha has always carried a piece of India with him. Now, he's channelling that love through his company, Outwrite, co-founded with Aayushman Sinha (the force behind Indian talent firm Represent) and seasoned Artists and Repertoire executive Murtuza Gadiwala. Their goal? To build a 'global hub' for songwriters, producers, musicians, and engineers right here in India. Think: a support system for India's creative minds to thrive on a global stage.
Kotecha says the idea stemmed from noticing a visible gap in the Indian music industry where many stakeholders aren't aware of their rights and how music publishing works. 'There's a lot of talent in India. I want to encourage young people to get into music and to see themselves as new pop artistes that represent India rather than having to look outside the country for those people,' he says. This becomes an important move at a time when stolen songs, credits has been a pressing issue for the industry for many decades now.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Indian businessman gifts custom pink Rolls-Royce to one-year-old daughter, viral video sparks criticism: ‘Extremely shallow'
Indian entrepreneur Satish Sanpal, who lives in Dubai, is making waves on the Internet for gifting his one-year-old daughter, Isabella Sanpal, a custom pink Rolls-Royce. Sanpal is the founder of ANAX Developments and had grabbed eyeballs for hosting an extravagant birthday party for her daughter. This event was hosted at The Atlantis and featured performances from artistes like Tammanah Bhatia, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Aatif Aslam, and Nora Fatehi. In the now-viral clip, Sanpal is seen with his wife, Tabinda Sanpal, as they surprise their daughter, Isabella, with the keys to her customised luxury car. The metallic pink Rolls-Royce features a matching all-pink interior, with custom seats monogrammed with her initials. A plaque inside the car reads, 'Congratulations, Isabella'. A note on the floor reveals that the vehicle was custom-made in England and shipped to the UAE especially for her. As the video progresses, it shows the family arriving in another Rolls-Royce to receive the custom-made pink vehicle. The toddler is seen enjoying the music and dancing as she is taken to the store. Sharing the video, an Instagram handle @loveindubai wrote, 'Satish Sanpal just won Father's Day. He gifted a custom-built Rolls-Royce in Dubai just for his precious baby girl, Isabella Satish Sanpal. Such a Dubai Dad move.' Watch the video here: A post shared by Lovin Dubai | لوڤن دبي (@lovindubai) The video did not sit well with social media users, prompting naysayers to react. 'I understand that people can spend their money however they like, but it's still sad seeing a toddler get a Rolls Royce when some charities have to beg for support,' a user wrote. 'It's a tacky and flashy display of wealth and just proves that money does not buy class,' another user commented. 'This is extremely shallow,' a third user reacted. 'when you don't know what to do with your money,' a fourth user said.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Legendary composer who gave Kishore Kumar a break, once owned 3 luxury cars, died alone; no family members attended his last rites
Once, he was one of the most influential composers in Bollywood, making stars dance to his tunes and bringing evergreen chartbusters to life. However, OP Nayyar , the mastermind behind timeless songs such as classic club banger ' Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu ' and the soulful and seductive 'Aaiye Mehrban', spent his twilight years in complete isolation and in dire financial straits. According to a DNA report, not one of his family members or anyone from the Bollywood fraternity attended his last rites when he passed away in 2007 following a heart attack. Bursting onto the scene in the 1950s as a confident, young refugee from Lahore, Nayyar challenged the titans of his day—Anil Biswas, Naushad Ali, Shankar-Jaikishan, S.D. Burman, and C. Ramchandra—and emerged as one of the most successful and highest-paid music directors in Bollywood. As per a Hindustan Times report, despite lacking formal training in classical music, Nayyar composed songs deeply rooted in Indian ragas , like Chhota Sa Balama in Raag Tilang and the entire Phagun soundtrack in Raag Pilu. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dental implants in Trinidad & Tobago Dental Awareness Media Learn More A Fall from Fame and a Retreat into Solitude As the golden era faded, so did Nayyar's prominence in the industry. By the late 1970s, personal and professional setbacks started taking their toll. He distanced himself from his family in 1979, and although he returned briefly, he permanently separated from them in 1989. A After spending some time with singer Madhuri Joglekar in Virar, Nayyar moved in with the Nakhwa family in Thane as a paying guest. According to Indian Express, he had chosen a life of quiet withdrawal, asking to remain disconnected from both his biological family and the glamorous film world that once idolised him. Rani Nakhwa, who came to know him through a small telephone booth where she worked, had no idea of his celebrity status when they first met. She offered him a room in her modest one-bedroom home. Over time, the bond deepened. He became a father figure to her, and she affectionately referred to him as Babujee. He, in turn, called her Raju, having disliked her real name. In his final years, he preferred the company of these ordinary yet kind-hearted people, choosing familial warmth over material success. In an interview with , Nakhwa said, "He lived like a king here. He liked having a beer in the afternoon and had his staple of two pegs of scotch in the evenings." An Unattended Farewell When O.P. Nayyar passed away in January 2007 due to a heart attack, the music world lost one of its most influential voices. However, in accordance with his wishes, none of his family members or anyone from the film industry was informed. His funeral was attended only by the Nakhwa family, who had become his closest companions in his final chapter. Reminiscing about his death, Nakhwa told , "He had told us not to inform his family of his death. We performed his last rites.' Legacy of a Revolutionary Composer Nayyar's artistic contributions remain unmatched. Though his debut film, Asman, was unsuccessful, his big break came with Aar Paar in 1954 under Guru Dutt's guidance. With a revolutionary blend of Indian rhythmic patterns and Western instrumentation like saxophone, clarinet, and sarangi, as highlighted by the Hindustan Times , Nayyar transformed the soundscape of Hindi cinema. He once owned three luxury cars and hosted lavish parties at his music room in Kemp's Corner, but his final years were marked by simplicity, detachment, and emotional depth—mirroring the very soul of his compositions, the HT report revealed. He introduced and championed major voices like Asha Bhosle and Kishore Kumar . He worked with Kumar on several successful songs, including those in films like 'Baap Re Baap' (1955) and 'Ragini' (1958).
Hans India
2 hours ago
- Hans India
Meet Dr Shadab Ahmed the surgeon with an extraordinary poetic precision
Dr Shadab Ahmed is a prominent and acclaimed name in the translation and transliteration of 'Indian, Persian and Ottoman antiquarian manuscripts. An author of more than 10 published books on 'Indian & Persian ethnic prose-poetry', his interpretations and paraphrases are widely read and appreciated in the Indo-Persian scholarly community trans-continentally. Several of his translated verses appear in major digital libraries around the globe and are critically analysed by renowned critics and academicians. His translations blend analytical rigor with extraordinary poetic precision, extrapolating and interfacing complex verses into elaborate enthralling wordplays. His works explore the essence and leitmotif of the celebrated literary compositions from the bygone empires as much as they throw an important light on the socio-political, ethnic and cultural analysis of those eras. The themes of his works are varied and idiosyncratic - selectively compiled, curated, structured and standardised. The passages and verses are carefully chosen and researched, intermixing the associated Occidental and Oriental explications. Be it the entranced turmoiled devotion to the beloved or proscribed suppressed literature illustrating the classified carnalization of the monarchs and sovereigns, it is presented in a lavish linguistic rhymeplay which catches both the incurious and inquisitive eyes. A unique feature of his own composed verses and quatrains lies in the reflection of an altered transitional consciousness, in which the author appears to be subtly invoking God and communicating implicitly. The result is often a quatrain with metaphysical interpretation and perspective. The language used in the translations is standardized American and British English, with unusual words assembling together to develop a beautiful narrative. But that won't be all. Apart from being a successful writer and author, Dr Ahmed is also a professional Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon, intrinsically involved in quality assurance programs of several institutions and universities. Based in India, his extra-professional and extra-academic interests goes into real estating, property development and investment management. A bibliophile and passionate reader, he reads whenever his busy schedule permits and is a prudent scholar of Indian & World History, Metaphysical & Aesthetic Philosophy, Abrahamic, Indic & Vedic Religions and Tantric Sciences. Dr Ahmed is also a noted columnist on Indian polity, geopolitics, realpolitik and international affairs. His opinions and editorials appear in various national print media are as well-read and well-liked as his books are. Hailing from North-East India, Dr Ahmed finished his under-graduation from Bihar and post-graduation from Tamil Nadu. He has previously worked in the North East Frontier Railway's, based at NFR Headquarters, Assam. When asked where he sees himself ahead in life, he enigmatically smiles before letting us know that he is looking forward to be an entrepreneur. One challenge at a time, and two ahead for a vision is his mantra to proceed forward in life. He has several academic and non-academic books lined up for publication and release in the coming months. His next book 'The Despicable Musalman' is eagerly awaited, which provides a comprehensive account of the Islamization of India and takes on various egocentric and megalomaniac personalities from the Arabian, Ghurid, Ghaznavid, Turkish, Mongol, Mughal empires and sultanates – whose policies and practices are vital in shaping up Indian polity and administrative structure. We wish him all the best for his academic accomplishments and extra-academic endeavours.
