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Instagram singing sensation Ram Vir is stepping things up in his music career. From ten second snaps and one minute Instagram videos, the handsome artist is moving to release full-length tracks and albums! Presented by DJ Ice Media, Ram Vir recently released a remake of the seductive hit track “Ijazat” from the Sunny Leone film, “One Night Stand.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7nRj6niNRs
With lyrics from the original track by Shabbir Ahmed and a Punjabi touch added by Ram Vir himself, the already soulful song gains added depth. But who is Ram Vir? What do we really know about this rising star?
Urban Asian had the chance to chat with Ram Vir to find out!
UA: When did you first become inspired to be a musician?
Ram Vir: I don’t think I have always aspired to be a musician. My passion for music really started when I was about 10 years old. Our families always recited prayers with our grandma at night, it was kind of a way to bond with each other. Each one of my siblings and I was assigned to sing certain songs each night, I sang one song and made it my goal to perfect the song to impress my father. Over time I grew really fond of Hindi music, more specifically the song “Teri Dewani by Kalish Kher,” I had never heard such amazing rhythm in my life. Slowly, I became a bathroom singer and started to practice this song over and over. Little did I know, when I sang to my family friends—I was actually good. It was history from then on, I kept practicing until I hit perfection.
UA: Tell us about your family, how do your parents feel about your musical aspirations?
Ram Vir: I have to say it was a hard pill to swallow for my parents. My dad really wants me to finish my degree and concentrate on creating a “realistic” career for myself. I think the biggest support from my family has to have been my older sister and other siblings and cousins. My sister pushed me to follow through with my passion, so I can never live my life with regrets. Obviously, over time, my parents came around and are definitely starting to support my dream now.
UA: Do you play any instruments?
Ram Vir: I’ve taken a dab in learning a few instruments. I took lessons in learning how to play the guitar and piano. I’m still a beginner in the instruments I play but try my best to practice as much as I can.
UA: Have you been trained as a singer?
Ram Vir: I have not been trained to be a singer, I’m self-taught. I really just practiced singing on my own almost every day, I did my best to perform in all family functions as much as I could. Small family gets together really help as many people know family members are the best critics.
UA: What inspired the release of the remake “Ijazat?” Out of all of the great covers you’ve posted on SnapChat and Instagram, why did you choose that song to create a remake of?
Ram Vir: I think “Ijazat” was a song that I really felt tested my limits vocally. Arijit Singh is one of my favorite singers and what he’s accomplished is mind-blowing to me. He is an inspiration to me as a singer, and to do his song was a challenge itself. The challenge in this song was what really drove me to create a remake. I think slower songs also provide listeners what they can expect from me in the future as well.
UA: As this was your first music video, how was it shooting the music video for “Ijazat?” Were you heavily involved in the concept?
Ram Vir: A lot of the concept was more group thought. DJ ICE helped me figure out the ins-and-outs of shooting a video and pretty much showed me a glimpse of how tough shooting a video can be. Most of what I do always includes my team. I think a well-thought group concept is usually better than an individual’s perspective.
UA: Who are your musical inspirations?
Ram Vir: A lot of my musical influences definitely are more qawwali artists, Punjabi artists and definitely Arijit Singh.
UA: If you could collaborate with any artist who would it be?
Ram Vir: Collaborating with Mickey Singh and Arijit Singh would be amazing. I know by collaborating with artist like them will help my music lift off in no time—not because they’re well known in the music industry, but because I know they put in the countless amount of hours in their work to perfect it. I really admire artists who focus on what their listeners are looking for.
UA: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Ram Vir: Five years from now, I’d like to make a statement in our community and show them that there is a possibility of creating Hindi/Punjabi Trap music. Our desi cultures music is still alive and will be around forever. I definitely see myself releasing a lot more original music as well.
UA: Are you releasing original music soon?
Ram Vir: Of course, I wanted to come out with a remake of a song first before releasing my own work. I want my listeners to get a feel of what I will be doing in the future. There’s a lot of work being put in by me and my producer HitMakerDot to release an album.
UA: How would you describe the sound of your own musical style?
Ram Vir: I want to say my style of music is a modern day introduction to desi trap music. Obviously, “Ijazat” does not specifically show that, but you will definitely see this style in my upcoming music.
UA: Would you ever take the Bollywood route or do you prefer to make mainstream music in the West?
Ram Vir: I think Bollywood opens endless opportunities and so does mainstream music in the west. I think it really depends on how my music picks up. I can’t say specifically which one I prefer most but time will definitely tell.
Keep it locked on Urban Asian for more updates on Ram Vir!
