OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder & Punjabi Artist Karan Aujla On Participating

Six months in the past, Ryan Tedder skilled a fortuitous full-circle second. 

His longtime pal, Grammy-nominated songwriter and manufacturer Savan Kotecha, texted him about an artist he idea Tedder will have to pay attention to: pioneering Punjabi artist Karan Aujla. “He sends me a hyperlink and I used to be like, ‘Yeah, I already know who this man is,’” recollects Tedder lately, sitting in his West Hollywood house studio.

Whilst appearing with OneRepublic at the second one version of Lollapalooza India in January 2024, Tedder was once asking locals and the band’s promoter “who’s popping” in India. All of them discussed Karan. “I went and listened to the tune and I used to be like, ‘Oh, that is tremendous tight. That is other,’” he says, explaining Punjabi as an Indian language this is rising as its personal subgenre and rising hastily each in the community and globally. On the time, Tedder mentally bookmarked Karan and carried on – till Kotecha got here alongside and stuffed the space. 

Kotecha presented Tedder to Karan’s pal and manufacturer, Ikky, “and that’s the place the entire thing hooked up,” says Tedder. The 2 met in L.A. and Ikky performed Tedder in-progress tracks, together with person who was once referred to as “Dassde” on the time. “I used to be like, ‘Oh, that is loopy.’ I requested him what the word supposed, and he stated it manner ‘inform me.’ I want all classes went that fast.”

“Prior to this collaboration, Ikky and I all the time used to discuss how we would have liked to do one thing out right here with our tune,” says Karan, 28, who’s seated subsequent to Tedder whilst on a snappy go back and forth to Los Angeles to shoot the tune’s tune video. “After which he had discussed you guys had been speaking and I believed he was once simply kidding. Like, it’s now not gonna occur. After which I bear in mind being on excursion Ikky sends me a coarse draft  and the very first thing I pay attention is [Ryan] making a song. After which it’s me leaping in with my Punjabi verse. And I used to be like, ‘Oh shit, it’s a Punjabi-English monitor.’ I used to be so excited at that time.”

And now, on Wednesday (Feb. 19), their historical collaboration in spite of everything arrives, marking each OneRepublic and Karan’s first English-Punjabi collaboration. The tune’s tune video, starring Indian actress Disha Patani, is out the similar day.

“Occasionally,” Karan continues, “we really feel like we manifested doing this with you, Ryan.”

You two simply met in particular person for the primary time – what introduced you in combination?

Ryan: We had been intended to shoot the video, [when we] had sufficient of a completed model [of the song]. We simply were given again from Asia – we had been in China and Vietnam and Japan and Korea, and we began in Bangkok for a couple of days. [Karan] wrapped his excursion in India doing this huge offered out excursion. And we had been in the beginning going to shoot the video in Little India, in Bangkok, and he were given in poor health. It was once the top of the excursion. We punted and so we simply now shot it this week. 

Karan, you moved to Canada on your overdue teenagers. When did you develop into acutely aware of OneRepublic as a tune fan?

Karan: Once I heard [hums “I Ain’t Worried”]. Ikky advised me, as a result of clearly I’m born in Punjab and I wasn’t acutely aware of how the tune labored out right here. So, I got here to Canada, met Ikky again within the days however prior to this collaboration me and Ikky all the time used to discuss how we would have liked to do one thing out right here with our tune. However simply being in Canada, that’s how I heard there’s this band referred to as OneRepublic.

It handiest took six months for this tune to reach from the time Savan hooked up you, Ryan, with Ikky. Inform me about that timeline.

Ryan: First of all, we had been racing: “Are we able to get it out in November, December?” I used to be like, what are we considering? It’s Christmas. It’s a dying lure, you’re gonna get smashed by means of Mariah [Carey], you’re gonna get smashed by means of Ariana [Grande], and simply the entire different stuff. So then we punted to February, which I’m actually satisfied about as a result of we’re going to be again in Asia a few occasions this yr and India goes to be a part of that. So the time is easiest and that is a type of the place it’s like, I didn’t be expecting to like a bilingual file up to this. I’ve almost certainly listened to this demo greater than the rest, truthfully, as it simply feels just right. And I believe we’re even speaking about doing an English language model as smartly. Maximum of our lovers don’t talk Punjab.  

Karan, why do you suppose Punjabi tune is up subsequent and, because of OneRepublic, catching on within the States?

Karan: I think like individuals are extra open now, even artists, to new languages, operating with other people, growing new concepts and it simply is helping artists like me to carry what they have got [to] the desk. That is the time for artists like me to in reality experiment. My major factor is I simply need to make the primary Punjabi file that is going far and wide. My Spotify wasn’t like this all the time. It’s simply taking place during the last three-four years [of gradual growth]. We will see it taking place in entrance of our eyes; if other people need it, why don’t we simply serve them what they would like? Like, other people in India need English on Indian data. They love those collaborations. They love once I’m making a song in Hindi or Punjabi after which a verse in English comes. Even some rappers from India are rapping in English and Hindi. Persons are already into it. And we simply want to do it extra in a correct means. 

Ryan: And one of the crucial major causes Punjabi tune has exploded, together with in towns and areas of India – as a result of Punjabi is from the north – like Bombay, the place 5 years in the past, no one knew what Punjabi tune was once… 

Karan: They didn’t need to pay attention it, truthfully. 

Ryan: He’s the explanation. In truth, he’s one of the crucial major causes that Punjabi tune has exploded. He was once the precise particular person on the proper time. Any person who’s now not taking note of India or Southeast Asia at the moment, on a cultural tip, is asleep on the wheel.

Karan: Our very first thing was once to in reality take Punjabi everywhere India. And now, a couple of songs have blown up in India. And now this tune is for the States or anywhere the place they don’t care what language it’s in, it’s only a just right tune. And that’s all we’re looking to do right here, guy, and with a bit of luck it’s going to paintings. 

Ryan: Train other people some Punjabi too. 

Karan: If Ryan understands it… it’s now not that arduous. The day before today we made some content material for social media and he’s talking Punjabi fluently. With a bit of luck, in our subsequent tune, I’ll be making a song a verse in English and also you’ll be making a song a verse in Punjabi. 

What are the important thing manufacturing parts of a Punjabi tune?

Ryan: On this file there was once a studying curve for me. I’ve clearly heard Punjabi tune and Hindi tune, and musically there’s numerous similarities in Punjabi and Hindi. The language is other, clearly. However you’re the usage of a tabla. There’s hand drums which are getting used, a few of which exist within the States, a few of which don’t. Certainly one of my favourite sections of the entire file Ikky did, which is a drum destroy within the bridge that’s only a jam, it’s only a dance second. It’s so festive and vigorous and it’s layers of tabla and Indian hand drums and Punjabi tools. The one time I’ve ever used any of that was once if I’m doing Timbaland taste hip-hop stuff as a result of he leaned heavy into East Indian and Punjabi tools. It’s now not a mandolin. It appears like a mandolin to us, nevertheless it’s principally an Indian model of a mandolin that’s a key part all through the entire tune. We’re now not the usage of a sitar or the rest like that, it’s a little bit too shtick. After which the cadence, it’s all swung. For those who take into consideration it, all their tune is performed by means of hand. So I used all reside kicks once I did the drums. It’s bizarre to reference, however I used to be considering of stuff from like, 10-12 years in the past. I didn’t need it to really feel too trendy. I like Sabrina Wood worker, however we’re now not making “Coffee.” It’s a special taste. So I needed to lean into the cadence of what his verses had been and Ikky helped a ton as a result of I used to be like, “I’m now not going to be the white fool that steps foot right into a tradition and misappropriates it.” It must be actual. 

Karan: And the way in which you probably did it, it doesn’t sound pressured. It’s one in all my favourite tracks that I’ve ever labored on. 

Inform me about filming the tune video along side the band. 

Karan: It’s like a tale of our live performance that’s [hopefully] taking place sooner or later, in India… 

Ryan: That’s actually what it’s. 

Karan: It was once two days [of filming] in a row. Roughly tiring, however we made numerous recollections there. I’ll take into account that for the remainder of my existence. 

Ryan: We had been in a Hollywood backlot, which was once lovely cool. I imply, from my standpoint, I used to be like, it is a Bollywood video. There’s giant time parts of Bollywood taking place on digicam. 

Karan: It’s a mixture.

What are your hopes for the tune and video when they arrive?

Karan: In truth, that is just the start and I’m simply satisfied that we have got this dating now. I think this giant brother vibe from Ryan and I do know if I want some steering sooner or later… 

Ryan: Simply textual content. 

Subsequent summer time, the purpose is I need to pass [to India] and be in a taxi cab or a Tuk Tuk and I need to pay attention this enjoying someplace within the streets. 

I’ve had such things as this occur as soon as in a blue moon. The whole thing took place so without difficulty and so seamlessly, together with even now, the video getting cancelled and coming in combination and [getting] Disha who’s huge and simply overwhelmed it.  All of the ones issues threaded the needle for a multicultural file like this, it’s so thrilling. I do know individuals are going to adore it.