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For over two decades, Shaan has been a defining voice in Indian music. From chart-topping romantic anthems to unforgettable playback numbers in Bollywood, his contribution to the music industry has been nothing short of iconic. Now, the melody runs in the family, with his son Maahi who isn’t just carrying the legacy but also is ready to strike the chord with Gen Z and contemporary sound. In an exclusive conversation with Masala!, Maahi talked about his recent song, his father’s legacy and a lot more.
Maahi on his recent video release
Speaking about his recent song without giving us many spoilers, he stated, “The song is called ‘Jaan se Zyada’; its audio has been out for a while, but we are releasing the video soon, and it’s a very special video. I have shot it with my co-star Aadhya Anand, who has done such a great job, and it’s extra special because we also have my mom and dad in the video. They make a fun cameo towards the end where we find out a twist. I won’t say too much; I hope people check out the video, but it’s a very special video that will be holding on for a while. We are showing generations ahead. You know about this video, and yes, I’m quite excited for this one.”
Maahi on how much time it takes for a song to be recorded
The singer who is new to the industry also revealed how much time it takes for him to complete the whole song and whether he does it in a single go or tweaks a bit. Stating that he needs more practice to do it in a single go, he said, “It’s tweaking, I will be honest. I am not at the point where I can go for one take. I will need more time for that, more riyaaz for it. But it’s very much woh pehle to vo monitor mix hai studio mein, you know, where we mix all the songs on the monitor, and that’s when we realise that, you know, the vocals, are they sounding right, are they working fine, or is there always space to change? I think that’s one thing that we think a lot about in the song.”
Talking about shooting his recent song, he further added, “Another thing we bought for the song was the live acoustic guitar, which we were very keen on, as we wanted the raw sound. Sometimes you overthink a lot about whether you are doing it fine or not, and that’s when you need a strong team around you who motivates you and lets you know that it’s fine, and that’s something I am grateful for.”
Maahi on his father Shaan’s legacy
Maahi is carrying his father and singer Shaan’s legacy but is a part of the Gen-Z generation. When asked what makes this generation different from that of his fathers in the way of crafting music, he said, “One good thing about music is I feel like, if we are doing it genuinely, if you are not plagiarising it, or really being unethical with it, I think you are honouring the music regardless of genre or sound. I think for me also, my style is reminiscent of that sort of taste. My chest voice is comparatively a lot weaker, so that’s a type of flavour I try to bring into all the songs.”
He further said, “And as per Gen Z taste, I think our biggest taste as Gen Z is the genuineness; I think that’s the main thing we look for. I am speaking as a listener. So, when I listen to a song, it’s supposed to be real. I don’t want something fake, and you can identify it. That’s something our generation does quite well. Also, you know, music is so fluid, so in terms of honouring the past, I think a lot of songs that were released 20 years ago with the exact same production will still work today.”
Maahi on the major difference between today’s song and his father’s song
The singer further also highlighted the major difference between the songs these days and the old times. He said, “I think it’s quantity over content. I think in terms of being able to put out more of this; I think back then, putting out the music by itself was the challenge. You know, series mein aane ke liye, to get them to store, to get them to finals, all of this was the main challenge. Today the barrier to entry in music is so much lower; people can make music on their phones, right? So Abhi, anyone can make music, as smartphones are easily accessible. And as for live music, if you have vocal cords, you will do it, and if you don’t have vocal cords, then there’s always a way; music finds a way. So I think that’s the biggest change, as more people, more musicians, are getting opportunities. The industry for music is growing so much, and as an artist, that is very rewarding.”
Maahi on one piece of advice he got from Shaan
Lastly, he also revealed the one piece of advice he got from his dad that’s stuck with him—not just music-wise but in life. “In terms of approaching the industry, one thing that would be giving your all, everything. That’s a very cliche thing to say, but he really means it when he says this: ‘Arey ye itna bada film nahi hai’ (Oh, this is not that big of a film), ‘so I will do it and shoot it in 2-3 days. Arey, iss show mein itne saare log nahi hain. Mai kyu itna push kyu karu?’ It doesn’t matter that there are two people or twenty thousand people; you have to give it one hundred per cent, because the only way to get to twenty thousand people is by giving that 100%. Abhi to mai 20,000 logo ke samne perform karta hi nahi hu (Right now, I am not performing only in front of 20,000 people); my name is not that big, but if I want to reach there, to perform in front of 20,000 people, I will have to give my 200%, and in front of 2 people also I will give the same. So that’s one thing he taught me that’s been stuck with me,” the singer stated.
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