While we’re left with less than ten days before TIMEOUT 72 takes over Goa for its highly awaited debut edition, the hype surrounding the festival continues to reach higher peaks with each passing day. Boasting of a stellar lineup which features some humongous names including the likes of Martin Garrix and Wiz Khalifa amongst many more, we caught up with the third headliner aka global superstar Jason Derulo to talk about about his debut stint in India, his love for Indian music and much more!
With the R&B superstar all set to make his way to India next week for his debut performance, Jason spoke about the excitement and hype surrounding his maiden visit to India:
“Yes this is my first time to India. Music is the soul of your country and I feel privileged and humbled to be coming to India. I feel very connected to India. India is known for its cultural diversity and I’m very excited to experiment with some Indian food and explore the art and architecture of the country. I have heard of Indian music and I’d love to see how I could collaborate with some Indian musicians in the future.”
Ever since TIMEOUT 72 revealed the famed act as the esteemed headliner for the 3-day festival’s debut edition, fans have been (im)patiently waiting to catch the man himself live in action. Talking about what fans can expect from his highly awaited performance, Jason told us:
“I’m bringing the biggest party to TIMEOUT 72. I am going to be playing some of my biggest hits including Swalla, Talk Dirty, Whatcha Say,Wiggle, Get Ugly. I have my best dancers and musicians coming along with me so it’s going to be a grand theatrical show with a lot of energy.”
Jason Derulo talked highly about the music scene in India, which has been recently attracting a lot of talent from the U.S., Britain and other countries saying: “The musical scale is so varied, vast and powerful in India. I’d like to believe that India is as good as any country in the world when it comes to India.” With numerous hits under his belt, Jason kept us guessing whether there’s a possibility of taking an influence back from the country for a song: “You never know because India is so magical and mystical. I can’t wait to get to India!”
Speaking about his love for Indian music, Jason Derulo also seems to be very keen on collaborating with Indian musicians.
“Indian music is so diverse and is making waves across the globe. I think it’s so very layered and I do listen to it online. Unfortunately I don’t know names. I just love different genres of music and artistes. It’s always exciting collaborating and exploring a different perspective on musical collaborative concepts. I think music allows you to express yourself and I always like to see how different artists interpret music.”
With Jason finally set to make his way to the Indian sub-continent next week, he shared his travel and food plans during his brief stay which includes some timeless classics amongst other things.
“Yes the authentic India food because that’s one cuisine I tried at so many places but I want to come to India and taste it. I want to try the naan and curries! I am definitely to explore the Goan city and its architecture as well!”
Having already begun work on his forthcoming album, the ‘Wiggle‘ hitmaker spoke in length about his fifth LP and a brand new song which, according to him is one of the greatest songs he has ever written.
“I’m working on my album 777. I always try to create an album that’s a bit of a rollercoaster ride so my listeners don’t get bored, because those are my favorite kinds of albums. But this album, I do dive in more emotionally and more vulnerably. The songs go deep into some of my breakups and some of my failed relationships, why they may have happened or how they may have happened, or falling in love. It takes you on this roller coaster ride of who I am today. There’s this song called ‘Point of View.’ It’s a ballad and I think it’s one of the greatest songs I’ve ever written. I can’t wait to release it. I’m putting out the music that I want to put out, instead of chasing anything. Just putting out songs that touch me, you know? Whether it’s a party song that makes me want to party, or a song that makes me fall in love.”
Ever since breaking onto the scene back in 2009, Jason Derulo has consistently risen up the ranks to be reckoned as one of the biggest R&B and hip-hop superstars in recent years. Delivering one hit after another, he also talked about how he deals with fans’ expectations which continues to grow higher with each release.
“I prefer not to worry about expectation and pressure, I just focus on my work and leave the rest to destiny. I think people should always own up their stuff. For me, making a better song than what I made last, and having fun while doing it, works. I don’t want to stress myself unless it’s necessary. Making a song is usually an emotional roller-coaster for me. So I keep it simple and don’t worry about whether it will be a big hit or not.”
When asked about how he deals with the low points in his life, he said: “I deal with low points like everyone else would; I take it with a pinch of salt. Sometimes I turn to music and I have a supportive family and extended fan community who are my pillar of strength.”
Jason Derulo also revealed his list of activities and favourite pastimes which he likes to be involved in, when he’s not working on new music!
“I love watching movies and TV series. It’s my favourite activity when I am at home. I also love writing. I am also penning some screenplays for films at the moment. This has been my new pastime for two years. I work a lot, and I party a lot too. You got to reward yourself. But I’m so focused on myself and the things that I need to do to further develop my career in an artistic way. Life is great.”
When asked about whether he has any plans to explore the country, he revealed that “I’d love to explore India but I guess it’s going to be just Goa this time. So here’s a message to all my Indian fans -come over to Goa and I promise you the best time of your lives.”
Make sure to catch Jason Derulo live in action at TIMEOUT 72 which is set to take place from 27-29th December! If you haven’t grabbed your tickets already, purchase them from BookMyShow, Insider, or Paytm.