Singer-songwriter Armaan Malik is embracing the freedom and global recognition that come with being an independent artiste, while ensuring that playback singing doesn’t take a backseat.

The singer whose latest track Baari Baari releases today, says, “I have taken a keen interest in building this independent side because that is the true Armaan Malik. Having said that, I have sung some really beautiful songs for movies which will come out this year and probably next year. So it does co-exist for me. I feel that many artistes have shifted their focus to the independent side of their artistry now. And I think it is about time. We, singers, have been waiting on the sidelines for far too long as artistes, we’ve just been voices, but now we are the main character as well.”

Armaan tied the knot with beauty influencer Aashna Shroff earlier this year, and he believes marriage has brought about a quiet transformation in him and his music.

“I’ve become more mature in the way I think, the kind of songs that I’m writing, the kind of lyrics that I’m focusing on. For the longest time, I was singing lyrics written for me by lyricists, but now I’m figuring out what I want to say. There’s a difference. There are so many feelings I’ve felt over these last few years that I never got an opportunity to say. But now that I am focusing on my journey as an independent artiste, there are a lot of songs that I’m writing myself,” he explains.

Talking further about finding a creative partner in his wife, he says, “I have the most creative partner I could ever ask for. Aashna is extremely creative and hard-working in her field. There is an overall transformation in me, and I can gladly say it’s because of her. The man that I have become now is going to change my music for the better. My music will have a lot more depth and weight.”

Earlier this year, his composer brother, Amaal, made headlines when he posted on social media about cutting ties with his family. Later, in an interview with us, Amaal spoke about how that entire episode brought their entire family closer.

On an emotional note, Armaan adds, “Amaal is right. It’s got us all very close. Obviously, everything that happened is now in the past. We are in the most beautiful phase that we have ever been in. What happened was that we became collaborators. Now, we’ve just come so much closer, and we are in a much better and positive space. We have different conversations, which is beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever felt better.”

He adds, "We are so intertwined into each other's lives in terms of music, in terms of collaborators, the song making sessions become therapy sessions for both of us. We get to talk about life a lot more. And now he doesn't see me as his younger brother anymore. He sees me as a married man, which is very different. And we are kind of having very different conversations, which is beautiful for me. I don't think I've ever felt better ever".

In recent times, Indian artistes have collaborated with international performers, including Ed Sheeran and Arijit Singh on Sapphire, and Jackson Wang and Diljit Dosanjh on the track BUCK.

Speaking about global collaboration, Armaan says, “In 2020-2021, I kind of opened those doors. I feel a sense of pride because not many people were looking at India as a destination for collaboration back then. I’m proud that the Indian scene has grown so much over the last few years and so many performers are coming to India. India has the opportunity to reach that global audience that it’s been waiting for. The biggest advantage we have here is the numbers. Everyone is rooting for Indian artistes to go global, and slowly, a lot of us are doing that. I hope the biggest global song comes from India.”

Recently, composer Amaal Mallik shocked his fans when he took to Insta to share that he was severing ties with his family, blaming his parents for the rift between him and his younger brother, singer Armaan Malik.

However, the latter, opening up for the first time, tells us, “Our bond is and will always be the same. I know my relationship with my brother and we are pretty tight. I don’t care about what people think or social media users think. All I care about is what my brother and I think, and we are pretty sorted. Nothing can ever change between us. Amaal also mentioned on his social media that humare beech mein koi problem nahin hai.”

In fact, Armaan, who recently performed at The O2 Arena in London, is collaborating with Amaal on a project. “I have sung a single and Amaal has composed it. It’s tentatively titled BB. It’s a Hindi-Punjabi song that we plan to release in a month or so,” says Armaan, adding that he has about 40 singles coming up this year.

Meanwhile, the singer, who celebrated his first wedding anniversary recently, shares that his wife, beauty influencer Aashna Shroff, has influenced his music: “I feel the space that you are in — mentally and emotionally — reflects in your work. That’s why I have been coming up with a lot of love songs (laughs). Aashna is my greatest critic when it comes to work and I like how honest she is with her feedback. That has only helped me get better as an artiste.”

As a performer, this has been a great year for singer Armaan Malik so far. He shared the stage with international artistes such as Eric Nam, Lauv, and more recently, Ed Sheeran. “It’s been quite a hallmark year for me from a live concert perspective, because I have had the opportunity to do something that probably very few Indian artistes have got,” says Malik.

Besides work, things have been great for him on the personal front too, as he got engaged to influencer Aashna Shroff in October last year. Malik says being in love and getting engaged has impacted his music. “Being in love has changed everything for me. When you are engaged, it’s such a big step in your personal life. It is bound to have an impact on you as an artiste,” says the singer.

Malik, who turns 29 today, adds, “When I sing today, I feel every single word. I don’t think that was true years back when I was not with Aashna. The words of my songs have taken a deeper meaning because of my love life and relationship.”

Ask about his birthday plans, and Malik says, “I am a big foodie, so I would have South Indian for breakfast and Italian for lunch. I have planned different things with everyone. So one is with family, one is with friends and one is with Aashna.”

Singer-songwriter Armaan Malik and blogger Aashna Shroff announced their engagement on Instagram on August 28. The much-in-love couple shared pictures of the ceremony and posted, “And our forever has only just begun (sic).”

In a conversation with Bombay Times, Armaan’s father, singer-composer-actor Daboo Malik said, “This is an exciting moment for all of us because this is the first time that something like this is happening in our family. We all are excited and very happy that the younger ones are taking their lives ahead. My blessings are always there with them.”

Talking about Armaan and Aashna, Daboo added, “They both are made for each other. They are two beautiful hearts that are coming together. I call them my little birds and they are my cuties. Their engagement makes me feel older (smiles). From now on, I think I need to pull up my socks and behave like a daddy ji (father-in-law)!”

When asked about the wedding details, he said, “The wedding will take place next year, but we haven’t finalized the date yet.”

Talking about his elder son Amaal Mallik’s plans, he said, "Amaal ke liye chalo ab hum sab dhoonte hain. He is now the most eligible bachelor in town.”

Singer-songwriter Armaan Malik’s non-film music is an extension of his personality and he loves sharing it with his fans. Malik says his last love song, You, reflects his personality and how he understands the emotion of love. “I have felt those emotions, I still do. I was in love, I am in love,” he says with a smile. We recently reported that the 27-year-old has been dating social media influencer and content creator Aashna Shroff since 2019.

Meanwhile, Malik is also carving a niche for himself in the global music industry. His recent international collaboration with British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran was lauded. “I am grateful that many musicians from India are now thinking about doing what I have done. It was super challenging, but I really wanted to create that space for myself. But, there’s still a long way to go,” says the singer.

Ask why he decided to explore international music and the De Taali (Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2) singer explains, “I have been a playback singer for a long time and when it comes to film music, it’s [made on the basis of] the director’s vision. The music and lyrics are not by me, I am just a singer. While I love singing for films, I wanted to express myself through my music. That’s when I decided to take a flight to Los Angeles (USA), put a pause on everything else and just concentrate on doing the kind of music that I wanted to make.”