Varun Sheel ‘s latest single, “More than Friends,” is shaking up the indie pop scene. Varun’s music is known for its heartfelt storytelling and catchy melodies, and his newest track is no exception. It’s a song that invites listeners into a world of emotional depth and relatable themes, all wrapped up in a pop package that’s impossible to ignore.
Varun Sheel isn’t just an indie pop artist; he’s a molecular biologist, a photographer, and a true creative spirit. In this chat, we’ll explore how his eclectic background influences his music, the inspirations behind his latest work, and what’s next on his musical journey.
Hey Varun! Thanks for joining us in an interview for Pinch of Sol; we’re excited to spotlight you and get to know you more. Introduce yourself briefly to our readers!
Hi everyone! I’m Varun. I’m a Boston-based indie pop artist, molecular and cellular biologist, photographer, and overall giant nerd. I love cooking, dungeons and dragons, and video games, and I’m super excited to share more about myself and my music with you all!
Who are some of your biggest musical influences, and how have they shaped your approach to creating music?
I think I’m fortunate because, coming from such a musical household with a diverse background, I can lean on two sides for how I shape my sound: the Western side and the Eastern side. On the Western side, I love Quinn XCII’s honest lyrics and his ability to play with his own delivery and cadence within the pocket. I grew up obsessed with Queen and Freddie Mercury’s powerful vocals, and as a guitarist, my crowning achievements were priding myself in my ability to play songs by Buckethead and Paul Gilbert. On the eastern side, I’m a second-generation Indian American. I grew up watching both Hollywood and Bollywood movies, and Bollywood music had a massive impact on me growing up. Singers like Udit Narayan, Sonu Nigam, Ali Noor, and Arijit Singh affected my vocal delivery and tone in more ways than I could list. Also, the idea of using songs within movies as a visual and storytelling aid greatly affected the way I write songs today. I think all together, all of these influences kind of meshed together to form this sound and mission I have for my music now. That is, to make music that is emotionally evocative, melodically memorable, and lyrically honest.
Can you take us through your typical songwriting process? Where do you usually find inspiration for your lyrics and melodies?
I can almost rely on a song idea hitting me at the most inopportune times at this point. Most of the ideas I have hit me in the shower or while I’m driving, seldom while I’m in the studio actively trying to write songs because why would they? That would be way too simple.
Typically, I’ll get an idea, and all I’ll have with me is my phone. Whether it be in the shower, in the car, out with friends, or something else,. I think actively “living life” is integral to my own inspiration. I’ll think of a melody, a vocal hook, or lyrics inspired by what’s going on around me and say, “Oh, hey, that’s something,” but a lifetime of experience has taught me that these ideas are fleeting. So I’ll take out my phone and sing, mumble, or hum the idea I have to myself, document it, and label it. I must have thousands of ideas, but this lets me go back into the studio later and hash the good ones out fully.
From then on, it’s really a unique process for each song. Some take minutes, some take hours, and some take years before I’m ready to release them. I’ve found the great ones, the really memorable ones, and the ones that I’m excited to share with you all. They essentially write themselves. I come in with my voice memo, and each idea just flows into the next. It’s effortless, and I think that’s really special.
With a background in molecular biology and diverse hobbies, how do you find balance between your music career and other passions?
When I started undergrad, my brother told me I could have two out of three things: decent grades, time for my hobbies and friends, or 8 hours of sleep a night. I fought this tooth and nail and tried to do it all, but unfortunately, that’s seemed to be true for me, and sleep has been getting its butt kicked for years.
It’s a tough grind, but planning my weeks in advance has helped tremendously. For my social media and for music rollouts, I’ll typically make much of my content, perform my editing, and generate promotional material well in advance. That way, things aren’t too crazy at the time of launch. This helps me prioritise my love of science, photography, cooking, etc., all of which help me “live life” and inspire my writing. It’s taken years to get to this point, but it feels good to finally have found a tempo that works for me.
Share with us your top 3 indie pop artists and why!
There’s so many, it’s hard to choose. Young the Giant, Quinn XCII, AJR, Hozier, Chappell Roan, and so many more! I think if I’m picking three, Sameer Gadhia’s vocals are a huge source of inspiration for me. His falsetto, breathy qualities, and power on larger notes are powerful storytelling tools, and he uses them masterfully in Young the Giant’s music. I find myself always walking away and saying, “Oh, what a cool way to get that point across,” whenever I hear his vocals. Quinn XCII’s beats and the way he plays with rhythm are fantastic. There’s an added kick here and there that’s so subtle you’d never notice, and all of a sudden you have this inherent bounce and swing to your song that wasn’t there before. I learn a lot from listening to his music about how I can give my own tracks motion. Finally, I think Hozier knocks his lyrics out of the park every time. They’re honest. They’re poetic. They tell a story, and they help you visualise that story every time. “Cherry Wine” is a beautiful example of this, and whenever I find myself writing basic lyrics that I’m not happy with, I find myself coming back to his tracks for some visual inspiration.
Give a song recommendation for a track you’ve got on heavy rotation! Indie pop or otherwise.
“Solo” by Myles Smith. Simple instruments, simple beats, a catchy as hell melody, and lyrics that tell a clear story. I think it’s a wonderfully written and produced song, and it’s been wonderful to see his success through his releases since then. I’m also seeing him at Austin City Limits in October, so I’m extremely excited for that!
How have listeners responded to “More than Friends” so far? Are there any anecdotes or reactions from fans that have stood out to you?
The response to ‘more than friends’ has been nothing short of humbling. Spotify for Artists lets me see each of the playlists that listeners add the track to. When I go look at them, I see all the musicians who inspire me and all the artists I’m listening to right now on the same playlist. Quinn XCII, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Myles Smith, and Benson Boone. To see my name—my song—sharing a place with the very people who I listen to and who inspire me right now—that’s incredibly special, and I want to thank everyone who’s supported me so far on this journey. I promise I will keep doing my best to make you all proud.
I think in terms of reactions that have particularly surprised me, I actually received a video from my 5-year-old nephew. He was dancing and singing ‘more than friends’. It turns out he had memorised the whole song. I don’t think it’s something I’ll ever forget.
Looking back, is there anything you would change about the creation or release of “More than Friends”, or do you feel it perfectly captures the essence you intended?
Well, right off the bat, I would have submitted it for distribution much earlier. I didn’t know there was a week-long inspection process that your track goes through and that was super stressful leading up to launch. But hey! You live and learn and ‘over you’ was submitted well over a month ago to account for this.
In terms of production, that’s an interesting question, because I think for this version of more than friends, no. I wouldn’t. This is exactly what I envisioned; it has the nostalgia, it tells the story I wanted and it satisfies that check list of emotionally evocative, melodically memorable and lyrically honest for me. That being said, this was a song I originally wrote as a ballad on an acoustic guitar. It actually wasn’t the boppy tune that you hear now. While I love the fully produced version, the acoustic version really lets that story and the lyrics shine, and it’s different, but it’s beautiful. Maybe I’ll release that at some point.
We know that your new song, “Over You,” is set to debut on July 26th. Can you give us a sneak peek into what listeners can expect from this new track?
A grand, grand time. Within the song, there are distinct trumpet, tuba, trombone, violin, viola, cello, piano, guitar, drums, bass, vocal harmonies, and backing vocal tracks. Each instrument here has a unique part that I wrote, designed to accompany the others, much like it would in a symphony. This song is meant to be grand, and in my head at the time, I pictured this massive Bollywood-style dance number taking place in this 1920’s style speakeasy. The orchestra, the grandeur, the festivities, and the atmosphere are all pouring into this massive moment of moving on and acceptance. While it was difficult to balance all these instruments, where each one comes in, where each one fades out, and even the levels and equalisation of each one, all were meticulously chosen because it helped create this visual. I hope it comes through for everyone that hears it, and I hope everyone loves it as much as I do.
How does this new song continue or diverge from the themes and sound of your previous work, “More than Friends”?
“Over you” takes you kind of in a different direction than ‘more than friends’. It’s still nostalgic in that a lot of sounds are designed to transport you to an older time period, but’more than friends’ is a love song, and this one isn’t. It’s an anthem about moving on from a betrayal of trust and acceptance, and it’s produced to feel exactly like that. It’s high energy, it’s emotionally driving, and it gets you up and moving.
What are your plans for promoting “Over You”? Are there any special performances, collaborations, or music videos in the works?
We’re pulling out the stops! A song this grand deserves the grand treatment, so I hope we can do it justice. But that being said, we’re definitely going to need everyone’s help getting there. If you enjoy the track, please share it with your friends and loved ones and tag me in any posts you come up with! I love seeing reactions, content, or anything created inspired by my songs, and for this one, I’ve got a surprise in store for all of it.
Are there any new themes or musical directions you’re excited to explore?
Absolutely! I grew up listening to all kinds of music, but I also grew up in the 90s and 2000s. Bands like Linkin Park, The Offspring, and Rise Against were constantly on repeat for me, and I always wanted nothing more than to be able to sing like Chester Bennington or Tim McIlrath. I think we all know at this point that that’s not what I sound like…but I’m working on it! Slow and steady but we’ll get there someday!
As we look forward to Varun Sheel’s upcoming single, “Over You,” set to drop on July 26, we can’t wait to see where his musical journey takes him next. “Over You” promises to be an exciting new chapter in Varun’s evolving sound.
