HELLO! India Exclusive: Armaan Malik, the voice of a generation

From first lending his voice to ‘Bum Bum Bole’ (Taare Zameen Par) as a child star to ‘Pehla Pyaar’ (Kabir Singh) and ‘Bol Do Na Zara’ (Half Girlfriend), we’ve seen Armaan Malik grow up, both as a singer and individual. He’s lent his voice to every genre of music, ranging from party hits to chart-topping heartbreak anthems. As he completes 18 years in the industry — as well as his f irst year of marriage to digital creator Aashna Shroff — Armaan reflects on his success and transformation into a “softer voice.”

HELLO! India: Armaan, you’ve now spent 18 of your 30 years in the music industry. How do you think your sound has evolved over the years?

Armaan Malik: It’s grown the same way I’ve evolved as a person. When I started, it was about proving myself, hitting the right notes, and doing justice to the song. Over the years, the focus shifted inward. I care more about emotion than perfection now. I’ve learned to leave space in my singing, to trust silence, to let vulnerability come through.

HELLO! India: Do you believe your music is, indeed, the voice of the youth, as it’s often described?

I take that as a huge compliment! I think it’s true in a way. I’ve grown up alongside my listeners. We’ve gone through first loves, heartbreaks, confusion, hope… All of it together. I’ve never consciously tried to sound “young.” I’ve always just tried to be honest. Perhaps it’s my honesty that keeps my music feeling relatable to the youth.

HELLO! India: At 30, how has your approach changed towards work? Is it more fearless, or intentional? How do you choose what deserves your voice?

Armaan Malik: It’s definitely more intentional now. Earlier, fearlessness meant saying yes to everything. Today, fearlessness means saying no when something doesn’t feel right. I ask myself simple questions. Does this move me? Does it feel true to who I am right now? If the answer isn’t clear, I wait. My voice carries my story, so I’m more protective of where I place it.

HELLO! India: Singing‘2Step’ live with Ed Sheeran marked a remarkable pop-culture crossover. What do you think it said about India’s role in the global pop landscape?

Armaan Malik: It showed that the walls are really coming down. India isn’t just consuming global pop now — we’re contributing to it. That moment felt natural, not forced, and that’s the best sign. We belong in these conversations and on those stages.

HELLO! India: Do collaborations influence the way you compose and grow as an artist?

Armaan Malik: Working with artists from different cultures shows you how many ways there are to feel the same emotion. Love, loss, and hope sound different everywhere. Yet, they’re the same at the core. That pushes me to not box myself into one sound or language.

HELLO! India: How do you go about composing music? Your influences, perhaps what you do when there’s a tune in your mind…

Armaan Malik: Most of my ideas start quietly. A melody in my head, a line, sometimes just a feeling I can’t explain. I usually record voice notes, and even half-formed thoughts. I don’t force it. I let the song reveal itself over time.

HELLO! India: Tell us the artists you admire the most.

Armaan Malik: I’ve always admired artists who are emotionally and sonically honest like AR Rahman, John Mayer, and Charlie Puth.

HELLO! India: In 2025, you balanced sold-out stadium shows with an intimate project like ‘Saanvarey.’ How did you navigate through it personally? What did you learn from them?

Armaan Malik: The stadium shows reminded me of the scale of love I’ve been able to garner over the years, and I’m super grateful I get to experience such milestone moments in my career. Hearing my fans sing each song word for word in my home city, Mumbai, was surreal.

‘Saanvarey,’ my wedding EP, was a piece of my heart. I’ve never produced work that personal. Writing songs about the love I have for my better half and encapsulating those feelings into a project that sounds like your soul on a platter is incredibly vulnerable. Getting [my wife] Aashna to sing a verse with me on ‘Ghar,’ and then watching her walk down the aisle to that song, is an emotion I can’t truly put into words.

HELLO! India: Speaking of Aashna, how has she influenced the way you compose music? Is it any different from earlier?

Armaan Malik: She’s made me softer in the best way. I listen more now. I observe more. Love changes the way you see the world, and that naturally seeps into your music. I think my songs have become more present, less rushed, more rooted in real moments.

HELLO! India: What can we expect from you in the coming year? Give us a peek into your plans for 2026.

Armaan Malik: More honesty. More risk. I want to share music that feels deeply personal, across languages and formats. There are new Bollywood songs, more pop and English music after a long wait, and some collaborations that really excite me. It feels like a year where I stop explaining myself and just let the music speak.