This exclusive interview will take you right into the enchanting world of Karthik Mohan, an independent music producer hailing from the vibrant city of Houston, Texas. From humble beginnings as a mechanical engineer with a passion for music, Karthik Mohan has organically evolved into a remarkable music producer, enriching our lives with his soul-stirring compositions. With the recent success of “Adhoora” amassing over 100k views in just two days, it’s evident that his artistry resonates deeply with audiences worldwide. Yet, for Karthik, it’s the feedback and support from those who have joined him on this musical journey that truly matters.
Watch Adhoora by Karthik Mohan Official Video
Tell us something about yourself?
Karthik Mohan – I am an independent music producer based out of Houston, Texas. I take on a wide range of topics in my music videos, some of my music videos are light and breezy songs which make you enjoy the present moment, while some are a commentary on the society we live in and the complex issues surrounding us. My music does not conform to genres, I pick the genre based on the theme of the song. My original productions straddle the boundaries of pop, rock and Indian classical fusion
What made you start your career in music?
Karthik Mohan – Music has been an integral part of me from a very young age, I was exposed to a wide range of songs and genres. I had never considered a career in music, I am a practicing mechanical engineer and my career in music started as a hobby, but it started taking shape as I started uploading my content on YouTube and getting good feedback. My improvement and growth has been quite organic and it has been fueled by breakthroughs in the musical side of things as well as the technical side of music production.
From where do you drive inspiration to come up with such creative ways for your music?
Karthik Mohan – I get this question quite a lot, I always start with a theme, for instance I composed a song with my friend on the topic of adoption, so we wanted the melody and lyrics to take the listener through a journey, this forms the basis for the music and the chord progressions.
For this song we wanted to start at a place where the mother is not sure about how her experience will be and the child is not sure about the new surroundings she will be exposed to, so we made the music and lyrics accordingly. So it’s pretty much a theme that inspires the music and the lyrics for a song. What inspires the theme.. well that’s a difficult one, it’s life itself and the multitude of issues that surround us.
Who has been your inspiration or whom do you look up to as a role model?
Karthik Mohan – Most of my inspirations are in the classical music space to name a few, Bombay Jayashree, T.M.Krishna, Bhim Sen Joshi . In composition, I love SD Burman for his ability to make songs that have transcended the boundaries of generations and still manage to live in our hearts.
Tell us more about your new song Adhoora?
Karthik Mohan – Adhoora is a song about longing for the one you love, the one without whom your life is incomplete. The melody for Adhoora was a lucky accident, I was playing around with my guitar trying to record a short instagram reel… my wife heard it and suggested writing a song based on the melody that I had for the first couplet. Some songs are hard and you really need to dig deep to find the right words to fit the melody and the theme..
Adhoora, unlike these songs, came quite easily and the words fit in quite well. Once the song was composed, I had quite a few ideas for the Video. For my videos, I try to work with a central theme and try structuring the video around it. I had a simple theme of a girl dressed in Bengali Saree waiting with a longing in her eyes and the male protagonist singing, for the second part, I was torn apart between keeping them separated or having them meet. You will need to watch the video to see if they meet!
The lyrics of Adhoora are very special to me and it will always remind me of the time when I wrote the song.
How do you feel after knowing your song crossed 100k+ views just within 2 days of release ?
Karthik Mohan: I have always valued the process that leads to the results rather than results. But we are a result driven society, and it is very motivating to get favourable comments and likes on the content that we put out with so much passion and perseverance. But for me, there are a few people who have followed my journey as a music producer and have constantly provided feedback along the way. To me it’s their feedback which is far more important. I am happy that I have had very positive feedback from these few people and this means the world to me.
As we wrap up this insightful interview with Karthik Mohan, one thing becomes abundantly clear: his music is a testament to the profound connection between life’s experiences and artistic expression. As he continues to craft enchanting melodies that touch our hearts, we eagerly await the next chapter in the captivating story of Karthik Mohan.
