We need strict laws to regulate the use of AI in music: Armaan Malik

Armaan Malik sang Bum Bum Bole for the 2007 film Taare Zameen Par when he was just 10 years old. Since then, he has been a playback singer, independent singer-songwriter, collaborated with several artistes, and most recently, performed with Ed Sheeran and Marshmello during their India tours. During his recent visit to Bengaluru, Armaan told us that he believes he “manifested his dreams to reality”.“I feel like I’ve gone through a lot of eras as a singer; I’ve gone through a child singer era; the teenage pop singer phase; and then the Bollywood phase. Now, I already have my musical dreams for the future — win a Grammy, perform at Madison Square Garden, collaborate with artistes like Charlie Puth, Zedd, and Justin Bieber. As an artiste, you just have to be prepared for it all,” he said. Excerpts:

Back in 2014-2018, there was a flourishing music scene with great albums coming out. There was the rise of Arijit Singh. Then, there was Amal and I who came onto the scene. There was a younger lot of musicians, but the sanctity of music was still there. We were creating good quality music. There is quality music still coming out, but there’s also a growing focus on creating viral hits rather than quality songs. Instead of making a good song, it’s more like how one can make a hit. You can never make a hit, to be honest. There’s no formula to a good song, and I don’t think there should be one.


I’ve come across so many songs that have been manipulated to seem like I’m singing them — and I’m like, ‘dude, what is even happening?’ Sometimes, I’m amused, but I am also scared, because anyone can use my texture and voice, and put out a song. There needs to be regulations in place. While AI can be beneficial, there needs to be laws to protect artistes’ rights and ensure that technology doesn’t undermine the authenticity of music. I believe that organic elements — like real instruments and musicians — should always remain a fundamental part of the music creation process. What is organic should remain organic.

Collaborating with another artiste is exciting, but the most important factor is to be genuinely magnetised towards that artiste. I have a few favourite artistes whom I’d love to collaborate with, but because I admire their music and would love to create together. Collaborations are about bringing together different worlds, fans and styles. The key is mutual admiration and enthusiasm. If that energy isn’t there, a collaboration is unlikely to be successful. I’ve always had a long list of artistes I admire, and fortunately, I’ve collaborated with many of them. Collaborating with AR Rahman sir was a dream come true. It’s amazing how manifestation can bring dreams to life.


Independent music offers a lot of creative freedom compared to playback singing. As a playback singer, you often need to adapt your vocal style to match the actor’s on-screen persona. If it’s an actor who’s older than you, you’ll have to tweak your tone a little bit, and make sure that their onscreen charisma and persona matches with your voice. I mean, it’s cool how you can just be a chameleon


Despite his global stardom, Ed Sheeren was incredibly down-to-earth. It’s rare to find someone with his level of success who remains so grounded. We had great conversations about music, including Indian music, and he wished to collaborate with more Indian artistes. Also, Ed and I developed a close friendship, and now, I consider him my brother.
(Armaan Malik recently performed at Bharatiya City in Benglauru to a sold-out show)