Darshan K Interview
Q. To begin with, how would you introduce yourself as a musician, a storyteller, or a poet?
Honestly, I see myself as someone who uses music to express things that can sometimes be difficult to put into words. I’m Darshan K, a singer, songwriter, and composer from Dhariyawad, Rajasthan. For me, music isn’t just about singing or creating a melody; it’s about telling a story and making someone feel understood. I’m still exploring my sound and learning as I go, but I always want the emotions behind my music to feel real.
Q. What first inspired you to pursue music, and when did you realise it was more than just a passion?
Honestly, I never thought I’d end up pursuing music as a career. I initially thought I’d go into software engineering, but music slowly became a part of my life in 2016. The more I got into it, the more I realised this was something I genuinely wanted to do. There wasn’t one moment when I decided to become a musician; it happened gradually. Looking back, I sometimes feel like I didn’t choose music, music chose me.
Q. As a singer and songwriter, how do you turn personal experiences into songs that connect with others?
I usually start by being honest about what I’m feeling. I don’t try to make an experience sound bigger or more dramatic than it was. I try to understand the feeling first, then find the words and melody that express it best. Once a song is out in the world, it can mean something different to every listener. That’s one of my favourite things about music: something that began as my personal experience can become part of someone else’s story too.
Q. What usually comes first when you create a song: a melody, a lyric, or an emotion?
It can be different every time. Sometimes I’m sitting with a feeling and a melody comes naturally; sometimes a line or a thought comes first. I don’t really follow a fixed formula because I feel every song has its own process. I try not to force it. I keep exploring until the lyrics, melody, and arrangement feel right for the emotion I want to express.
Q. How do you balance staying true to your musical identity with evolving audience tastes?
I’m still discovering my musical identity, and I think that’s a natural part of being an artist. I enjoy listening to different genres, experimenting, and learning from other musicians. At the same time, I don’t want to make music only because a certain sound is trending. Trends can be fun to explore, but I want the songs I release to feel honest to me. For me, growing as an artist means trying new things without losing the reason I started making music in the first place.
Q. In an age of viral hits and short-form content, what do you think makes a song truly timeless?
I think a song becomes timeless when people keep coming back to it because of how it makes them feel. A song can become popular through a trend or a reel, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But what stays with people is often an honest lyric, a melody they remember, or a feeling connected to a person or a moment in their life. For me, success isn’t only about how many people listen today; it’s also about whether the song still means something to someone years later.
Q. You sometimes write poetry, too. How does poetry influence the way you write lyrics?
Poetry has made me pay more attention to small things: a silence, a passing thought, or a feeling that’s difficult to explain. I like finding simple words that can carry a deeper meaning. I’m also interested in philosophy, and it often makes me look at emotions and human behaviour from different angles. That naturally finds its way into my songwriting. I don’t think lyrics need complicated words to be meaningful; sometimes one honest line can say a lot.
Q. What is one challenge independent musicians face that audiences rarely understand?
One big challenge is that making the music is only one part of the job. As an independent artist, you’re also thinking about production, promotion, visuals, distribution, networking, and finances. People hear a finished song, but they don’t always see the time, effort, cost, and uncertainty behind it. I’m learning to manage all these sides while continuing to grow creatively. It isn’t always easy, but it teaches you to take responsibility for your work and keep going even when things move more slowly than you hoped.
Q. If you could collaborate with any artist, living or legendary, who would it be and why?
I’d love to collaborate with Amit Trivedi. I admire how he experiments with different sounds while still making music that feels distinctive and emotionally rich. He doesn’t seem limited to one style, and that really inspires me as someone who’s still exploring my own sound. I’d love to learn more about his creative process and see what we could create together. Ideally, it would be something neither of us would have made in the same way on our own.
Bio
Darshan K is an independent singer, songwriter, and composer from Dhariyawad, Rajasthan, India. His musical journey began in 2016, driven by a deep interest in storytelling and the emotional power of music. Blending contemporary indie influences with heartfelt songwriting, Darshan aims to create music that reflects the complexities of human emotions and everyday experiences. His original releases include Tu Hi Hai, Barse Badal, and Khaalipan, among others. As an independent artist, he continues to explore new sounds and develop a musical identity rooted in authenticity, experimentation, and meaningful storytelling. Through his music, Darshan hopes to create a space where listeners can find pieces of their own stories.
Interviewed by Vanshika Gupta
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