Singer-songwriter,

Savan Kotecha

, has been making waves in the global

music industry

for years. With a portfolio that boasts collaborations with international sensations like Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, and One Direction, Kotecha is now shifting his focus to his Indian roots. In an exclusive interview, Kotecha shared his vision for revolutionizing India's music scene and creating a homegrown

teen pop

sensation.
Born into a traditional Gujarati family in the US, Kotecha's journey into music was far from conventional. Despite facing initial disapproval from his parents, Kotecha pursued his passion, eventually finding success as a songwriter. His big break came when he worked with Simon Cowell and his artists, including Westlife and One Direction. "Pursuing music was my parents' worst nightmare—it probably still is, no matter how many homes I buy! It's been an incredible experience. I started out at 19, sending songs to record labels while trying to establish myself as an artist. One label really liked my song, but when they found out I was Indian, they told me, the problem, kid, is that no girl in Wisconsin is going to put an Indian guy on her wall. You should just be a songwriter. So, that led me down the path of songwriting. Early on, I found success working with Simon Cowell and his artists, including Westlife. Then came collaborations with Usher, Justin Bieber, and Maroon 5. Later, Simon and I developed One Direction on The X Factor, which became a phenomenon. From there, I worked with Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, and many more incredible artists. It's been an amazing journey so far, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. But throughout it all, I was often the only brown guy in the room, which could feel lonely in that sense. Now, at this stage in my career, I want to help ensure that doesn’t happen again," he recalls.
Kotecha's experience working with diverse artists has taught him the importance of melody and emotional connection in music. "For me, melody is everything," he emphasizes. "At this stage in my career, a big part of my job is ensuring that the melody resonates, evoking emotions regardless of language barriers."
Kotecha's passion project is creating an Indian boy band that represents the country's diverse talent. He believes it's time for Indian teen girls to have homegrown pop stars to look up to and admire. "My goal is to build a group that comes from every part of the country, represents India, and becomes something that India will be proud of," he asserts. "I’ve worked with One Direction, Backstreet Boys, Westlife, and several other bands, and coming here, I’ve been talking to everyone about this today. My dream for India is to have a homegrown teen pop band."

When asked about potential collaborations with Indian singers, Kotecha expresses his admiration for Arijit Singh, calling his voice "one of the most magical voices in the world."
As Kotecha prepares to embark on this exciting new chapter in his career, he is driven by a sense of purpose and patriotism. "We're going to bring pop, local pop music to Indians around the country and make them proud of being Indian," he concludes.