Meet Gagan Singh | Music Composer, Producer & Creative Executive

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gagan Singh and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gagan, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I have always believed in taking calculated risks. From the moment I was young, I knew I had a gift in creating music. Taking risks is an every day part of the game in the music business. As a composer and a record producer, I bet on my creative skills and talents to propel whatever project I’m working on, helping me move forward. No risk, no reward. You can’t play small and expect big results. Taking risks at the right time is crucial.

I also believe in being very strategic. Strategy is something that has helped me gain an upper hand where possible. Taking risks doesn’t mean you only go by gut. Intuition is a big part of it for me, but making a strategic choice and playing the long game has also been crucial.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I believe my life’s work has always been a calling in music, always evolving into the next chapter. I began playing the Tabla (Indian Classical drums) at the tender age of three, and that led me down what has been an incredible musical journey so far. My background in music is Indian Classical music meeting Western Classical harmony, and building from that foundation. That has led me to create and produce scores and soundtracks for video games, films, documentaries and television.

I grew up very much influenced by the music of the 80s. I always admired the great Quincy Jones, who broke so many barriers in music, bringing jazz harmony to pop music, and whose leadership surmounted the music industry. I not only admired his ability to compose and produce incredible music, for pop and r&b artists, but also for film scores and soundtracks, but also his ability to scout and develop talent. He scouted Oprah Winfrey, he scouted Will Smith and he also scouted one of my favourite singers of all time, James Ingram. I still learn and pull inspiration and direction from Q’s journey and apply that mindset in my journey.

I am now an A&R and Creative Executive, and my musical abilities as a record producer and soundtrack composer have helped me understand talent exponentially. In a music industry where so much is based on “algorithm” and “statistics”, I could almost care less about all that. I trust my ears the most, and they are my superpower. When I hear a great voice, musician or artist, my ears let my heart know, and that’s all I need to know. This is one of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned along the way from the real greats.

My debut album as a record producer is on the horizon very soon, and features many emerging Canadian & American artists that I am so proud to call my musical friends and family. It gives a lot of insight into who I am as an artist, and also the type of music that I feel is truly missing in today’s music industry. There are several duets on the album, and I grew up loving duets. Many songs on the album are influenced by the 1980’s great record producers, including my favourites: Quincy Jones, Narada Michael Walden, Trevor Horn and others. The album also blends influences and genres, as I pull organically from my South Asian roots and there is so much rhythm and percussion tastefully blended into the album. We call it “Global Pop” and I would like to be a trailblazer of it in this new era of music we are heading into.

I want the world to know that barriers can be broken, and you don’t have to fit in to one genre or style of music. I also want to inspire the world with yet another story of someone who comes from a middle-class home, and aspires to reach for the stars, overcoming great odds along the way. I know my story is just beginning and could be a sign of hope for so many talented young artists.

Last but not least, pay attention to your craft, and the art. The numbers, the fans, the business will follow. It’s important to know the business, but in my humble opinion, there needs to be a focus on excellence in music once again, and less on how many followers on Tik Tok we have.

One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned with my gift, is if you have it, work it. I believe God gave me the gift of music, and when I stay close to that gift, I am always deeply rewarded and satisfied.

I also believe you can be a person of faith and spirituality, and still have a career in the music business. I have always stayed true to my core values, and live a clean lifestyle (no alcohol or drugs, and regular fitness), and don’t conform to a lot of the values of the music industry. I believe in integrity and although work around the Hollywood scene, do not conform to some of the Hollywood lifestyle.

Stay true to your vision and purpose. Be a visionary.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
LA is not just the City of Angels, but also the home of some of the great recording studios in the world. There is so much recorded music history here, from the legendary Alfred Newman Scoring Stage at Fox, to the Barbara Streisand Stage at Sony. I also love the Eastwood Scoring Stage at the Warner Brothers lot. Westlake studios, where Michael Jackson made some of the greatest hits is also notable.

If you don’t see me in a recording studio, I’m probably out eating at some of my favourite spots. Porta Via in Beverly Hills is one of my favourites. I also love the rooftop of the Waldorf. I’m also a regular at Granville in Studio City.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate this shoutout to my big brother, Joraver Singh. He believed in me and saw talent in me, that sometimes I couldn’t even see in myself. He has the ability to see talent in others and has such a strong foresight and vision – it has always inspired me to do better and be better each day.

I’d also like to shoutout a dear friend, Mohamed Moinuddin. He was there for me during some of the hardest years of my life, has always been a strong supporter of mine and pushed me to develop, craft and harness my own creative abilities and sound, and I am forever grateful for that.

There are so many mentors that have come into my life and inspired me through my journey. Salim Merchant, Robert Kraft, Stephan Moccio, Michael Levine, Mirette Seireg, to name a few. Big shoutout and big love to each and every one of them.

Website: https://www.gagansinghmusic.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gagansinghmusic

Twitter: https://www.x.com/gagansinghmusic

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GaganSinghMusic/videos

Image Credits
Joraver Singh, Brad Ardley (SOCAN), Canadian Music Week.