Pop-Culturalist.com

India’s biggest pop star, Ananya Birla, is well on her way to becoming a global icon. At only twenty-five, she’s quickly racking up the accolades, including becoming the first musician to go platinum singing in English in India. She’s shared the stage with the likes of Sean Kingston and Wiz Khalifa, and has a brand new single out called “Day Goes By”. Pop Culturalist caught up with this fast-rising superstar for an in-depth conversation about her career and defying the odds.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
Ananya: I’ve always loved music—it’s been this constant companion throughout my life. I started learning my first instrument, the Santoor (a classical Indian instrument), when I was nine, and a few years later I was writing my own lyrics and composing a bit. I knew, even back then, that this was what I wanted to do with my life, but I was scared to take it up. It was sort of a hidden dream.

By the time I got to college in the UK, I was performing in London every weekend, wherever I could—random bars and pubs, open-mic nights, pop-ups—literally anywhere. I suffered a lot with self-doubt and was scared to put myself out there and turn this into a proper career, but I was lucky enough to realize early on that life is too short not to follow the things that make you feel alive.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Ananya: That’s tough. I’ve always believed the best music is authentic and from the heart, so I really admire artists who exemplify that. Whether it is Kurt Cobain, Eminem, Beyoncé—their music is so special and moving because you can feel the emotion behind it so intensely. It’s not easy to take something so personal and put it out there in the world for everyone to interpret in their own way—but at the same time, it’s also so beautiful that music has the power to make that happen.

PC: You released a new single, “Day Goes By”. What inspired the single? What was the collaboration like working with Sean Kingston?
Ananya: I met Sean in Goa when he asked me to open for his India tour, and we got on immediately. He is such a wonderful guy and super talented, too. We said we’d link up at his studio when I was in LA next, and not long after, we were making “Day Goes By”. The song is our attempt to distill that intoxicating feeling when you’re totally into someone and you kind of lose your mind in infatuation. We had so much fun making it, and I think that really comes across in the sound!

PC: You’ve had a lot of success in your career. When you look back is there a particular moment that stands out to you?
Ananya: When I first started out, I kept being told that there wasn’t an audience for the kind of music that I wanted to make. Indian film music and Bollywood stuff had always dominated the charts back home, but I wanted to create something with a more western sound—and in English—because it felt more natural to me. There was a lot of pressure to change my sound and even my look, but that just didn’t feel like me.

Eventually, things fell into place and I am so glad that I stuck to it and stayed true to myself. Becoming the first artist to go platinum singing in English felt like a really big achievement and was definitively a massive highlight for me.

With that being said, there have been so many amazing moments. The Global Citizen Concert, performing with Wiz, releasing my debut EP—the whole journey has been totally surreal, and I’ve loved every second.

On a more personal level, nothing makes me happier than when a fan sends me a DM to say that they were moved by my music and that it helped them through something they were dealing with or just made them smile. Music has always been there for me, and if mine is doing that for other people…I mean, that is what it’s all about.

PC: You just finished touring with Wiz Khalifa. What was the biggest takeaway from that experience?
Ananya: It was incredible; we played some amazing spots. Wiz has got a great vibe and is amazingly humble for someone who has achieved so much. The way in which he can connect with an audience and draw them in is truly something!

PC: If you had to choose one song off your debut EP that best encompasses you as an artist, what would it be and why?
Ananya: Ah, that’s a tough one! Each of the songs encompasses a piece of me. If I had to pick one, then it would be “Love Suicide”, which I wrote after a totally toxic relationship and is really honest and intensely raw. I genuinely felt like I was exposing a part of my soul. It was the first time I showed that side of me to the world. It’s also my favorite song to perform live!

PC: What does the rest of the year hold for you as we look ahead to the end of 2019 into 2020?
Ananya: I am in LA at the moment recording some new music and working on a couple of collaborations. I’ll be doing some live shows early next year too, both here and back home, so stay tuned!

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Ananya: Russ

PC: First album you bought?
Ananya: Rihanna—Good Girl Gone Bad

PC: First concert you attended?
Ananya: Lady Gaga’s Monster Ball Tour—it was epic and unforgettable.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
Ananya: Kanye West’s Graduation—it totally opened me up to hip-hop and was the soundtrack to some of my favorite teenage memories.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Ananya: Glastonbury

PC: A must-have on the road?
Ananya: Headphones, battery pack, and a notebook!

To keep up with Ananya, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Pick up or stream “Day Goes By”.