Prolific singer Suryaveer Hooja who hails from New Delhi has already carved a niche for himself in the world of music. Hie tunes are captivating and his style of blending Western and Indian styles of music is what sets him apart from the others. The Kolkata Mail correspondent Priyanka Dutta engaged the singer in an exclusive conversation about his music and future plans. Excerpts..

Have you always wanted to be a singer??

Suryaveer Hooja- I always wanted to be a performer and had thought that I will be a musician. As a child I experimented with a lot of instruments and it’s only in college I took to singing and thought of making a career in it.

At what age did you begin singing?? Under whom did you begin training in music?

Suryaveer Hooja– I started my journey of music since I was 5 years old. I learnt different instruments from different teachers. It’s only in college that training in singing professionally.

Your latest song has been getting positive response. Tell us something about the song.

Suryaveer Hooja- Well the song is called BaageVich and it is a Punjabi folk inspired wedding song. We worked very hard on this one and took us 1.5 year to complete the song. We have tried to recreate the magic of this Punjabi folk and have experimented with new beats and tempos to give it a modern touch. From lyrics to music to the video, all aspects were carefully looked into so that the real essence of the song was intact. We are extremely happy and delighted that this song has been received well by the listeners.

You have a band of your own. Tell us about the band and what kind of songs do you perform??

Suryaveer Hooja- Each artist has a transactional phase where he/ she take a few life changing calls. It is in 2011, where I decided to form a band instead being a solo artist. We perform all sort of genres particularly Sufi rock, pop rock ballets, Bollywood. As a band we try to present a volley of genres to our audiences instead of being limited to just one.

What kind of songs do you prefer to sing??

Suryaveer Hooja- Though as an artist you are expected to be able to sing all sorts of songs. However soulful music that touches my heart is what I like to sing.

Are you interested in playback singing?

Suryaveer Hooja- My aim is make good music and connect with my audiences. If playback comes along, I am happy to take it up.

Who are your favourite singers?

Suryaveer Hooja- Kishore Kumar, Mohammad Rafi, Bruno Mars, John Mayer. Ranny Kattering are some of my favourites.

You like a blend of Indian and Western music. What are the challenges of composing such kind of music??

Suryaveer Hooja- I like to blend Indian and Western music. I have personally never faced a challenge in doing the same as it somehow comes naturally to me. I have an organic synergy with my audiences.

What are your upcoming projects??

Suryaveer Hooja- I have an action planned 2019, with a volley of projects and associations lined up. To begin with, we have collaboration with One plus which is scheduled for January. Then my new song is coming in February around Valentine’s Day. The song has deep lyrics and I am sure will connect to the youth.

Where do you see yourself in the next five years??

Suryaveer Hooja- I see myself as a major force in the music industry. Five years down the line, I want to be known as somebody creating good music with unique tunes and original sounds.

We sincerely hope that Suryaveer’s dreams come true and he becomes a major musical force to reckon with!!