Emerging independent music content creators on social media are reshaping the music industry with their fresh and diverse sounds. Platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok have become launchpads for these artists, enabling them to reach global audiences. With the ability to showcase their talent and personality directly to listeners, many are achieving significant success and even chart-topping hits.
This is, in a way, democratizing the music landscape. One such emerging independent musician and content creator is Jesus Mehta. He is a rapper with a very fresh and unique take on music. He creates remixes of popular and trending songs by blending his own rap with hip-hop beats. Jesus Mehta has built a community of over 1.1 million followers on Instagram and 2.91 million subscribers on YouTube.
Also Read: Content Meets Cinema: Creators Collab With Bollywood Stars Now
We had a chat with Jesus Mehta to understand how he looks at the world of music, his thoughts on the emergence of AI in the music industry, his process, leveraging social media, and a lot more! Read on:
How did you get this idea of integrating rap into popular songs? What served as your inspiration?
It was a song called “Kalaastar” by Honey Singh that inspired me to create. I heard him a lot, and I kind of wrote what he would have written in “Kalaastar“. I have been in this music industry since 2012-2013, so I have been writing and listening to rap music since then. I’ve been remixing songs with my rap since 2020.
Being a vocal artist and beatboxer, I can modify my vocal cords just like him. Both were in my favour. The thought process of writing and the skill of modifying my vocals inspired me to write the “Kalaastar” rap. That video became so popular that Honey Singh reposted my video on his profile, and that was a big moment for me.
Can you break down your creation process for us from the initial idea to the final song?
When I say this, it will be a very cliché thing, but when I drive myself from home to the studio, even on the way, I can write a song if there is inspiration for me. So I scroll a lot, I see two or three songs that are coming on my feed very often, so I take that inspiration, and then I drive to the studio or gym. At that particular time, I think about the flow, and the thought process behind those lyrics before the song actually plays in my video.
I also show the process of how I write my songs in the video itself. That is what engages people because I make them feel what I feel for the song. So this is how the song is made. The recording part is pretty easy and quick. I just put on the mic, remove the vocals using the software, turn on the camera and shoot. I connect my song with the purpose, then the song is produced, and then I edit it and upload it.
Your “50 Songs 50 Weeks 50 Languages” content series is super amazing! After kicking off with ‘Kutchi,’ what do you have in mind next, Jesus?
The Kutchi song was really challenging to make, to be honest. I did a lot of research to see what is relevant in Kutch right now and what people would relate to if I wrote it in my raps. There was a limitation of 8 bars, I was only able to write in 8 lines. But I think that went pretty well and kind of summarized the whole Kutch experience. Just as I made that song, I will approach or study different states and try to fit their culture in my raps. That is still in their initial phase, and I will think about it more.
What does the future of the music content creation industry look like to you with all the emerging AI trends?
AI is significantly benefiting the music industry. I personally started using AI to remove vocals from music around 2019 or 2020. Back then, AI wasn’t as prominent as it is today; it was more of an advanced coding tool. Since then, AI has been a crucial part of my content creation process.
The task of removing vocals from music used to be incredibly time-consuming, often taking up half a day. However, with the use of AI tools like VocalRemover.org, which allows you to split vocals and instrumentals with a single click, the process has become much more efficient. This efficiency has greatly encouraged me to create more content.
Similarly, many other AI tools are enhancing productivity in the music industry, enabling artists and producers to create content more efficiently and encouraging increased creativity and output. AI is indeed a transformative force in the music industry.
Social media is proving to be a game-changer for independent artists. What are the opportunities and challenges like?
Social media is helping independent artists in a way that no other label can. First of all, social media is free. If you want to upload anything that you like, anything that you feel will connect to your audience, you can upload it. Even if the audience is less or very limited. And for independent artists, that is a very, very big game-changer and opportunity to go viral.
If your content is mass-appealing or undercurrent viral material, you end up reaching a wider audience. People then recognize the artists and give them shows and brand collaborations too. A small artist can start with a small page and go viral with just one song or make 10 to 15 songs and try to go viral. This is one of the challenges of social media.
Who are Jesus Mehta’s favourite music creators currently? Any artists you dream of collaborating with?
My taste in music is quite broad. I don’t listen to a single artist or song on repeat nor do I have just one favourite artist. Instead, I have favourites across various genres. In Indian classical music, I deeply admire Shankar Mahadevan, especially after watching his performance in the Marathi film “Katyar Kaljat Ghusli.” His portrayal of a musical maestro truly impressed me.
In the hip-hop genre, my preferences vary. For romantic and emotional songs, I enjoy King, who excels in mellow rap. On the other hand, for hard-hitting and intense raps, Panther is my go-to artist, and he also has some notable melodic raps.
In old-school English music, I appreciate artists like Eminem, Pitbull, Akon, and Michael Jackson. For newer Indian music, artists like Sirimat and Krishna are among my favourites. Overall, my music preferences are diverse, and I connect with different artists at different times.
What has been your biggest/favorite moment as ‘Jesus Mehta, the content creator’ so far?
There have been many favorite moments as a content creator, but the one I always cherish and mention is making a video with AR Rahman. In the video, he was playing the grand piano while I was beatboxing. The surreal feeling of sitting beside such a legend was unforgettable. He playfully played offbeat notes to challenge my beatboxing skills, and I tried to keep up with his playful antics.
The video turned out great, and I uploaded it, marking one of my best days as a content creator. It was a long day, filled with memorable encounters. I also met one of my beatboxing idols, Tom Thum, who came all the way from Brisbane, Australia, to Mumbai. Meeting both AR Rahman and Tom Thum on the same day made it truly unforgettable.
How did it feel to see yourself on a billboard, thanks to Spoyl?
Yes, the billboard experience was on another level. Seeing yourself on the screen of your phone feels pretty small, but when you actually see yourself on a billboard, that feeling is surreal. It brings a sense of accomplishment that is truly amazing. It was a great experience, and I hope to do more brand collaborations like that if the opportunity arises.
What message would you like to give to #JesusKiJanta this World Music Day, especially to those who are inclined to create a career in music?
There is just a simple message that I want to give #JesusKiJanta – Always keep creating. Once you start creating, never stop creating, because then you will grow. You will not succeed on the first video, or the 10th video, but you might succeed on the 100th video. So, continue creating content and music and never stop.
Isn’t it quite interesting to see independent musicians and music creators like Jesus Mehta leverage the power of short-form videos, viral challenges, and direct fan engagement so well? This enables them to build dedicated followings and gain exposure so effortlessly! May we keep getting newer and fresher music for years to come! Happy World Music Day, everyone 🙂
