#KetchupTalks: "Music production gave me a life I could not have imagined." - Music composer Aditya N.

We spoke to Aditya N., the music composer behind Jee Liya from Tu Yaa Main, to discuss the track, his vivid body of work and some of his memorable collaborations!

In the fast-changing landscape of Hindi music, Aditya N. has quietly become one of the most exciting voices speaking directly to Gen Z hearts. His recent track Jee Liya fromBejoy Nambiar’s romantic survival thriller, Tu Yaa Main feels like a warm, late-night confession wrapped in soft romantic melodies with subtle trance layers that are deeply comforting. What sets Aditya apart isn’t just this one hit, but his work across genres like capturing the rebellion of Class, the energy ofZiddi Girls, and the opulence of The Royals, delivering music that is often rooted in the story, is sharp without even losing the emotional core.

A multi-hyphenate who’s produced for stalwarts like Pritam, Vishal-Shekhar, and Jasleen Royal while quietly carving his own path as composer, singer, and producer, Aditya brings his layered understanding to every track. As Tu Yaa Main’s music continues to spark discussions on social media, we sat down with him to discuss how he keeps that raw vibe of a random jam session alive, the freedom production knowledge gives an artist and what’s next for someone quietly reshaping what Gen Z Bollywood music can sound like.

Also Read:Tu Yaa Main and O Romeo: When cinema moves to the lyricism of music!

Here's how our conversation went!

You’ve mentioned that 'Jee Liya' from Tu Ya Main started as a casual jam session with Adarsh Gourav. How did you retain that magic of spontaneity so it doesn't get lost when a song eventually moves from a private studio to a big film soundtrack?

There is a simple answer to this, you need a director who believes in you and a production team that backs you up really well. I’m lucky to have had Bejoy Nambiar as a director and Colour Yellow Films as the production house. They believed in our song from the moment they heard it and while Bejoy had inputs, it never interfered with the integrity of the track.

Working with someone like Adarsh Gourav must be a unique experience. Does his perspective as an actor on storytelling change the way you both approach a song?

One hundred percent. Adarsh has different ways of approaching songwriting. My skill set and his are very different, and I strongly believe that when people collaborate, it’s always better to have different strengths. His ability to imagine visually helps craft a story better, and my ability to imagine sonically helps bring the story to life.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Adarsh Gourav (@gouravadarsh)

You often collaborate with distinct voices with Lothika and Nayantara Bhatkal being some of them. When you are composing, do you curate the compositions around the specific texture of the singer's voice, or do you find the voice that fits the track you've already built?

With Nayantara Bhatkal, we mostly work as a composer duo. Jee Liya is my first film song without her. So when we work together, we’re easily able to understand who the singer of our song could be, considering we’re both singers, one male and another female. We have both perspectives and the ability to imagine our singers as we create.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Adarsh Gourav (@gouravadarsh)

Between Class and Ziddi Girls, you’ve become the go-to composer for Gen-Z narratives. How do you stay authentic to that young sound without falling into the trap of chasing trends?

Curiosity over everything else, I’d say. When Nayantara and I are working on a new film or show, we don’t think about the last one. Everything is fresh, every world that is being presented to us is a new one. We do our research, push ourselves to continuously experiment with new sounds and moreover, think about what we would like to do next (keeping in mind the script, of course) rather than just creating based on our past successes.

Going from the gritty, underground vibe of Class to the opulent world of The Royals is a huge leap. What is the one thing in your production style that remains constant regardless of the genre or the project?

I have been a music producer for various artists such as Pritam, Vishal-Shekhar, Alokananda Dasgupta, Jasleen Royal among others. Their styles are vastly different so it used to always feel like a challenge. However, I started asking questions about the script, actors, directors, etc. to gather as much information as possible. This helps me understand the world that the creators are building far more than I would with a simple brief and reference tracks. I feel you have to find your own ways to know more. Knowledge is power, we all have the same or similar tools, it’s how we use them that really matters, and how we feed them with relevant information that gives us the edge we need to create better.

What insights did your stint as a producer provide you that a ‘pure singer’ might have not developed?

Music production gave me a life I could not have imagined. Back when I started working, the boundaries of a composer, producer and singer were very clear. I’m lucky that I kept doing all three things because today it is not the way it was in 2013. Knowing production is the ultimate form of freedom that I have gained because it is a layered, creative and technical form of art. I urge singers all the time to push themselves and produce at least basic tracks because it helps you understand a very vast world of sounds that allow you to think differently, instead of just thinking like a singer. You can think for the betterment of the entire track and not just one part of it.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Aditya N. (@adityan28)

Who are some of the artists you would like to collaborate with next?

I am very excited to work with Lisa Mishra. I think she has a powerful voice as a singer and on another level, as a person. She speaks her mind, and that comes through in her music in a big way.

What are you working on currently? What should the audience be excited about?

I am currently working on a lot of indie tracks with various artists as well as a bunch of my own English tracks that I release periodically. I am also in the process of building a live set that will hopefully come to life this year!

What are your thoughts on the Jee Liya? Tell us in the comments below!

For more interviews, follow us on @socialketchupbinge