SINGER ARYAANA G DISCUSSES HER DEBUT SINGLE AND CAREER PLANS
by ASJAD NAZIR
BRIGHT new stars appear every year and one to look out for in 2021 is Mumbai born singer, songwriter and self-taught musician Aryaana G.
The now Los Angeles-based 21-year-old recently announced herself by teaming up with multi-platinum American rapper OT Genasis for her dynamic debut single Stockholm Syndrome. The free-flowing duet combining their contrasting styles clocked up over 600,000 YouTube views in the first week alone and has set the exciting newcomer up for a bright career.
Eastern Eye caught up with terrific new talent Aryaana G to discuss her debut single, music and future plans.
What first connected you to music?
My father and brother are both exceptional guitar players, and my mum loves to sing, so I have grown up witnessing my family’s love for music. Music has become the thing that connects us and something we always do together, which is why it holds such a deep sentimental value for me.
What led towards your debut single Stockholm Syndrome?
I wrote this song when I was 16 and I’ve been itching to share it with the world ever since. However, it always felt like something was not quite right. When I heard OT’s verse, I knew it was the missing piece of the puzzle. With Almost Famous’s sublime music, OT’s rap and my vocals, I’m amazed at how well everything came together.
What inspired the song?
Flashback to 2016, I was on a call with my best friend complaining about being utterly confused about a personal decision in my life. I was battling an inner struggle with half of me wanting something and the other half wanting something else. Feeling torn, it made me realise the complexity of human emotions and I penned the song on my piano the same night.
What was your experience of working with OT Genasis like?
Having someone of his calibre collaborate with me on my first song is incredible. He did everything he could to make me comfortable on set, and he is an amazing artist and human being. All in all, it was a great experience and I feel blessed to have been able to live it.
Aryaana and OT Genasis in Stockholm Syndrome
What has the response to your first big track been like?
It’s been positively overwhelming. The amount of love and support I’ve received has honestly been astounding to me. And not to mention, totally unexpected. I mean I hoped people would like it and relate to it. I hoped it would touch a few hearts, but I genuinely didn’t expect to receive this much love. It really is the best feeling in the world.
Is this the kind of music you want to make in the future?
I would definitely want to expand and delve into more acoustic renditions that are slower and deeply emotional, but also, I want to explore the dance genre and play with something more upbeat. Something that makes people want to groove.
What can we expect next from you?
I am hoping to collaborate on a lot of interesting projects in 2021. Expect a killer album.
How much does it help you as a singer that you are also a musician?
More than one would think. I only started playing the piano to go along with my singing and now I find it nearly impossible to write a new song without an instrument.
What made you move from Mumbai to Los Angeles, and how was the experience?
It all started when Hardik Zaveri, founder of Enable, a talent management firm, reached out to me after hearing my music through a mutual friend. I had a brief meeting with him in Mumbai and the next thing I know, I’m on a flight to LA. The experience has been great. It’s been a lot of hard work over several years and I do miss my family, but after the tremendous support I’ve received on this song, it all feels worth it.
What kind of music dominates your playlist?
My taste in music is versatile and what I listen to, at any given moment, depends on my mood in that moment. I do love soft rock, r’n’b and hip-hop!
What inspires you musically?
Both my family back home and my adopted family in LA are my biggest inspirations. I am surrounded by a bunch of people all pursuing what they love, which has given me the courage to go after what I want.
Everyone is saying it: Diane Keaton is gone. They will list her Oscars and her famous films. Honestly, the real Diane Keaton? She was a wild mash-up of quirks and charm; totally stubborn, totally magnetic, just all over the map in the best way. Off camera, she basically wrote the handbook on being unapologetically yourself. No filter, no apologies. And honestly? She could make you laugh until you forgot what was bothering you. Very few people could do that. That is something special.
Diane Keaton never followed the rules and that’s why Hollywood will miss her forever Getty Images
Remembering the parts of her that stuck with us
1. Annie Hall — the role that reshaped comedy
Not just a funny film. Annie Hall changed how women in comedies could be messy, smart, and real. Her Oscar felt like validation for everyone who had ever been both awkward and brilliant in the same breath.
2. The nudity clause she would not touch
Even as an unknown in the Broadway cast of Hair, she had a line. They offered extra cash to do the famous nude scene. She turned it down. Principle over pay, right from the start.
3. The Christmas single nobody saw coming
3.At 78, she released a song. First Christmas. Not for a movie. Not a joke. Just a sudden, late-life urge to put a song out into the world.
4. The wardrobe — menswear that became signature
Keaton made ties and waistcoats a kind of armour. She was photographed in hats and wide trousers for decades. Style was not a costume for her; it was character. People still imitate that look, and that is saying something.
5. Comedy with bite — First Wives Club and more
She could be gentle one moment and sharp the next. In The First Wives Club, she carried the ensemble effortlessly, landing jokes while letting you feel the heartbreak beneath. Friends who worked with her spoke about her warmth and how raw she stayed about life.
6. A filmmaker and photographer, not just an actor
She directed, she photographed doors and empty shops, she wrote. She loved the weird corners of life. That curiosity kept her working and kept her interesting.
7. Motherhood, chosen late and chosen fiercely
She adopted Dexter and Duke and spoke about motherhood being humbling. She was not pressured by conventional timelines. She made her own map.
8. The last practical act
Months before she died, she listed her Los Angeles home. A quiet, practical move. No drama. It feels now like a final piece of business, a woman tidying her own affairs with clear-eyed calm.
9. The sudden end — close circle, private last months
Friends say her health declined suddenly and privately in recent months. She kept a small circle towards the end and was funny right up until the end, a friend told reporters.
10. Tributes that say it plain — “trail of fairy dust”
Stars poured out words: Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, Ben Stiller, Jane Fonda, all struck by how singular she was. They kept mentioning the same thing: original, kind, funny, utterly herself.
Diane Keaton’s legacy in film comedy and fashion left a mark no one else could touchGetty Images
So, that is the list.
We will watch her films again, of course. We will notice the hats, laugh at the delivery, and be surprised by the sudden stab of feeling in a small, silent scene. But more than that, there is a tiny, stubborn thing she did: she made permission. Permission to be odd, to age, to keep making mistakes and still stand centre screen. That is the part of her that outlives the headlines. That is the stuff that does not fade when the credits roll.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.