AI will help musicians if it is used ethically: Aditya Gadhvi

Aditya Gadhvi, whose latest single Albeli Matwali Maiyya has been taken for consideration at the 68th Grammy Awards, is enjoying a great phase. The singer, whose song Meetha Khaara has gone viral, is currently in Canada for garba concerts. He says, “Now, garba is not limited to nine days of Navratri.

We do shows for almost three months every year across the world.

Garba and Gujarat will always be synonymous.” ‘Khalasi’s success came as a big surprise’Aditya, who became an overnight sensation when Khalasi was released in 2023, says he is glad that Gujarat is now recognised for music beyond garba songs. He shares, “Khalasi’s success came as a big surprise for all of us, including Saumya (Joshi) sir who wrote the lyrics and Achint Thakkar, who composed the music. We thought the Gujarati community might like it, especially youngsters, but it went viral and listeners loved it everywhere. People started recognising me as the Gotilo guy. I didn’t feel any pressure (of expectations).

I was happy with all the adulation and love.” He adds, “We knew that Gujarat was always known for its garba music. With this song, we wanted to break that image and present something different, the story of a seafarer. We are glad that Gujarat got a new image through Gotilo. It’s heartening that songs like Khalasi and Meetha Khaara are becoming popular. People like listening to garba songs to stay connected to Gujarat, but they are also loving the new kind of music.”

‘Want to tell stories of Gujarat to people across the world’ After highlighting stories of seafarers (Khalasi) and struggles of salt-pan workers (in Meetha Khaara), he says, “We always try to explore new ideas. I want to tell stories of Gujarat to people across the world. When Khalasi was released, we would joke, ‘from Gujarat to global.’ Today, we are actually global, and people are listening to it all over the world.

Our literature is rich; there are so many stories which have not been touched at all. Gujarat has never had a chance to present its roots or stories in a better way.” ‘It’s easier to work with people you know’Aditya worked with artistes from Gujarat like Siddharth Amit Bhavsar, Mir Desai and Bhargav Purohit for Meetha Khaara. He says, “Siddharth and I always laugh that the process of making a song, which usually takes months, was finished in a few hours.

It’s easier to share ideas and suggest things to people you know.” Talking about the current indie music scene in India, he shares, “A couple of years back, there was hardly any independent music coming from different regions; it was mostly in Hindi. As a Gujarati artiste, if I released a single, it was very difficult to reach a larger audience. But things are very different now and people love regional music. I am glad that we are getting recognition for our music. I meet people who come for my shows after listening to Khalasi. They tell me, ‘We heard you sing Gotilo and loved it, so we came here for you.’” ‘Haven’t thought about patenting my voice yet’Many artistes are now patenting their voices and seeking protection of personality rights. He says, “I haven’t thought about it yet. I enjoy people mimicking me because I love to see myself through their eyes. I enjoy these reels.” On the use of AI in music, he feels, “When music programming began, it helped artistes do better.

AI will help singers and musicians to perform better if it is used ethically. We should have laws and awareness so that there is no misuse of an artiste’s original composition or voice.” Aditya shares, "Albeli Matwali Maiyya is a beautiful traditional composition. Jitu Bhagat has written the lyrics and it’s a prayer sung in Gujarat during Navratri. It’s our devotion to Mataji and the festival. By submitting this song for the Grammys, we have tried to represent Gujarat in its raw form."He adds, "I love performing at concerts because I get to express myself creatively and experiment, be it the way the stage is designed or the way we choreograph music. I also like to sing at garba events because it is humbling when thousands of people dance to your songs. It’s visually stunning."