Music composer, lyricist and singer Mithoon: Indie music and live shows are my focus now

It’s been 20 years since Mithoon began his career in Bollywood. Interestingly, the composer-singer, who prefers to stay low-key, says that he is finally realising the importance of live shows.

Mithoon, who performed 30 gigs in 2024 and has done over 12 shows this year so far, says, “For the first 10-12 years of my career, I was not performing at all. Being on stage is a different ball game, and as an artiste, I always saw myself in the studio, composing music, penning shayari and doing my work. I was not ready for the stage.”

Recalling the turning point, he shares, “In 2014, I performed a show in Lucknow for a music channel, but I left it at that. But it’s only recently when I designed an act and started taking it to different cities. Seeing the audience’s reaction, I realised how magical being on stage is. So, I decided that I needed to do it regularly now. Now, I perform at various colleges and universities. Doing live shows is my focus now, alongside composing and writing songs.”

With international singers performing in India, live shows have become huge in scale. Point this out, and Mithoon says that he thinks differently: “I don’t think it’s about the scale, it’s about the heart. The scale etc. are all technical aspects. I want to go at my own pace. I am happy that I am performing live now, and I am working hard to connect with my audience. I want to take my live acts across the world.”

While he’s working on the music for films such as Border 2, a Mohit Suri directorial and director Anil Sharma’s love story, another key aspect that the musician is now focusing on is independent music. “I am gearing up for my EP, Master of Melody. I have already worked on two singles, and I plan to come up with a new one every two months. Non-film music is as important for me now."

Now married for two years to singer Palak Muchhal, he says, “Music is the shadow of life and with my humsafar life surely has changed. I have got and new perspective to life and it has got more perspective and colour. Musically, I can’t pin-point it in words

On doing less work he says, “I compose my music, I write myself many a times when I am not working with a poet, I also produce and arrange my songs so my process keeps me involved for months with my songs most of the time. I enjoy that process so that makes me be selective

After success of taking hit franchise Aashiqui 2 forward, he now has Border 2 to which he says, “For every project you have to go with a new philosophy. As an artiste, I can just do my work with full honesty, on the vision on the director of Anurag Singh and story which is set in 1971. I am just trying to be honest with the emotions and iconic work happens of its own, it can’t be created. I try not to take pressure but zimmedari to hai, as listeners have connected with my song and in this era of social media they are very vocal about what they don’t like as well.”