We tell Armaan Malik that he’s one step closer to his dream collaboration with Charlie Puth. “Actually, two steps,” he laughs, referring to his latest collaboration with Ed Sheeran, 2Step. The celebrated British singer has long featured in the list of pop icons Malik hoped to collaborate with. However, the singer-songwriter didn’t imagine that his dream would be realised so early on in his career.

In 2020, Malik made a splash in the world of English music with Control, following it up with How many and You, among others. His hits presumably made him an ideal choice for the international collaboration. Asked about the inception of the remix, the singer says, “2Step is already on Ed’s album, Equal. In it, he speaks of the lows he has faced as an artiste, and finding strength in those he loved. Since he is so passionate about this song, he wanted to reach out to different artistes across the world. His team reached out to Warner Music India, who identified me as the person they wanted to collaborate with.” 

To Malik, his version of 2Step is his most personal work to date. “I was excited to talk about what I’ve gone through as an artiste. A lot of stuff that was bottled up has been presented in this remix with Ed that we worked on, in a short span of time.”

That the song may open doors for more Indian musicians is not lost on him. “I count this as a win for every Indian artiste. It [could be] a gateway for similar opportunities.”

Since his debut album Plus, “man with the guitar” Sheeran has emerged as a force to reckon with across the globe. Having teamed up with him, Malik is delighted to notice that the two musical minds have a shared love for experimentation. “He never sticks to one genre, and is always trying out new things, be it with Perfect [2017], Thinking Out Loud [2014], or The A-team [2011]. I am also often asked about approaching different genres. That’s how I would like it to be, because I don’t want to be restricted to one style of music.”

With the latest number, he has ventured into uncharted territory. “It has a hip-hop feel to it. I [had to] bend my artistry, and let people hear me in a manner that they haven’t so far. When you get a collaborator like Ed who gives you space, you enjoy the freedom to be as creative as you like.”