MAAHI'S VISION FOR INDIAN POP IS CLEAR

Inside the disciplined rise of a teenage pop artist

- PEONY HIRWANI

At just 19, Maahi already speaks with the kind of quiet selfassurance that only comes from doing the work — the morning riyaaz, the late-night recording sessions, the ever-growing mountain of to-do lists that shadow the dream of becoming a musician. And yet, when he talks about music, his eyes light up with something else: joy.

“I think I was around seven or eight when I started classical training with my Guruji, Anand sir,” he says. “But I didn’t really take it seriously until I was maybe 12. That’s when I knew I actually wanted to do this. Be a proper singer.” It wasn’t some grand epiphany but a slowburning realization, helped along by honest conversations at home. “That’s also when my parents gave me a bit of a reality check,” he recalls. “They told me that if I wanted this to be real, I’d have to work a lot harder than I was.”

Since then, Maahi’s days have revolved around music. Riyaaz in the mornings — at least an hour — and then long stretches in the studio working on new tracks, building what he hopes will be a sound that people recognize instantly.

FAMILY TIES: Growing up as legendary Indian playback singer Shaan’s son, Maahi’s music journey felt natural, even if it wasn’t always easy. “My dad never forced one kind of music on us. In fact, he encouraged me to listen to everything — all genres, all artists. He’d point out details like pitch, tone, or ease in a singer’s voice and say, ‘Listen to that. Learn from that.” His older brother, Soham, a member of the band Citimall, brought in his own influences, adding a modern, alternative edge to the household soundscape.