EXCLUSIVE! John Paul Reveals What He Learned From Arijit Singh, Why He Named Album After Late Mother

John Paul interview: It's always a pleasure to converse with talented artists, who are deeply passionate about their craft. At Filmibeat, we love interacting with singers, musicians, actors, who have the desire to create ripples with their performance. Independent guitarist and audio producer John Paul has received critical acclaim for his work in Kaplana.

In an exclusive conversation with Filmibeat Chief Copy Editor Abhishek Ranjit, John Paul spilled the beans on naming his new album after his late mother. He also shared what he learned from his mentor Arijit Singh.

Here are excerpts from the interview-

1. What was the inspiration behind this new track? Was there a particular event, emotion, or story that drove you to write it?

Ans- The song originally began as a spontaneous jam with Italian drummer Stefano Brognoli, whom I invited to India back in 2018. One evening, while we were watching a Looney Tunes cartoon featuring the iconic Yosemite Sam, we found ourselves laughing, goofing around, and eventually turning that playful energy into music. What started as a lighthearted experiment slowly evolved into a full-fledged composition. I later expanded the arrangement, blending funk and jazz grooves with Indian ragas, and the track came alive with incredible performances by Shankar Mahadevanji, Rohit Jayaraman, and Elise Testone from the US.

2. Can you walk us through your songwriting + production process for this song from the first chord or lyric to the final mix?

Ans- As mentioned earlier, the song was born out of that cartoon-inspired jam, but over the years I kept experimenting with the sound and gradually gave it a whole new direction. I eventually felt the need to bring in Indian ragas for the chorus, creating a striking contrast to the verse. That's when I reached out to Rohit Jayaraman, who not only crafted a beautiful chorus but also added an incredible improvised section. We brainstormed ideas over multiple Zoom sessions, and eventually Rohit recorded his parts in his US home studio and sent them over.

For the verses, I invited the brilliant US singer-songwriter Elise Testone, whose voice brought in an entirely new flavor and dimension to the track. And then came the icing on the cake - a special feature by Shankar Mahadevanji. He didn't just contribute a solo at the end; he jammed freely and gave me so many creative options to shape the music with.

The song also became richer with contributions from the legendary bassist Tony Grey, who recorded from his US home studio, and from Will Allen, who added additional recordings from the US. On percussion, my dear friend Bihu brought his magic, while Ken Aihara from New York added lush textures on keys.

What emerged is a truly diverse, cross-cultural collaboration, a song painted with colors and sounds from all around the world.

3. What has been the biggest challenge you've faced in your musical journey so far, and how did you overcome it to get to where you are today?

Ans - The biggest challenge for me has always been finding an original sound that truly defines who I am. My goal is to create something new, and that pursuit constantly pushes me beyond my comfort zone. In the music industry, I mostly work as a session musician-both live and in the studio-but building a solo project is a different journey altogether, where I have to present my own vision and consciously separate the two roles. Coming from a small town in the suburbs of Kolkata, from an ordinary family with no musical background or legacy, I've had to carve my own path. Even today, I continue to learn, adapt, and grow with every new challenge that comes my way.

4. What role do collaboration and feedback play in your creative process? Did you work with others on this song (e.g. co-producers, songwriters, session musicians)?

Ans - Yes absolutely! I prefer working with my fellow musicians and friends as collaborators as you get to experience new ideas which always brings so much more life into the music. I have co written this song with Elise Testone , she has written the lyrics and composed the verses whereas Rohit Jayaraman has done sargam on the choruses and then there's Shankar Mahadevan on a special feature . Besides that we have Stefano Brognoli on Drums, Tony Grey on Bass, Bihu Mukherjee on Percussions , Will Allen on Horns , Ken Aihara on Keys

5. As the guitarist for Arijit Singh, has working with him shaped your playing style, tone, or approach to music are there specific lessons you've taken from collaborating so closely with a vocalist of his caliber?

Ans - Absolutely! Arijit has been like a mentor, and we as a band have learned so much from him. Every artist I've worked with-past or present-has taught me something valuable, and I've always tried to absorb those lessons and shape them into my own music and style.

6. Looking ahead, what are your goals or next steps are there upcoming projects, musical directions, or experiments you want to explore that you couldn't before?

Ans - Of course! The album currently has 8 songs, each distinct in genre yet connected by a single story. Every track will be released over the next two months, each with its own music video. For this project, I've collaborated with more than 20 artists from around the world, and I already have a growing list of collaborators in mind for my second album.

The vision is to share this new music widely, perform at some of the biggest music festivals across the globe, and continue collaborating to create something truly fresh. The album is named after my late mother, KALPANA-a tribute to her and to the idea that, as the name suggests, imagination is limitless. More than anything, my hope is to move people with my music, to create something that speaks to them in a way words often cannot.