Riar Saab

At just 23 years old, Riar Saab is on a singular mission — to meet the demands of his enthusiastic audience. The Punjabi hip-hop singer and songwriter received overnight fame when Bollywood actor Vicky Kaushal showcased his dance moves to the globally viral hit song “Obsessed”. While the track catapulted Riar Saab to unprecedented heights of popularity, the young artist remains firmly grounded. 

In a conversation with Rolling Stone India, Riar Saab emphasizes the universal appeal of music, transcending linguistic barriers, as he continues to deliver authentic Punjabi compositions to his diverse fanbase. 

Rolling Stone India: Who is Riar Saab and what inspired the transition from your original stage name, Frenzzy, to Riar Saab? 
 
The name Riar Saab was given to me by Sikander Kahlon. Riar is my surname, so he said that the name “Frenzzy” doesn’t suit your identity as a Punjabi rapper. So, while we were shooting, we were just talking, and then we decided that this should be the name. 

How has your upbringing influenced your musical style? 

I am from Gurdaspur (Pind Dhapai), Punjab. My whole family is there except for me, I stay here in Mumbai. Although I was born and raised in Mumbai, I am deeply connected to my roots because of the picturesque environment of my hometown. The experience of living on a farm and being surrounded by tractors during my upbringing holds a unique charm that is unparalleled. 

What was it like working with the Aavrutti music group in your early career? 

Aavrutti was our crew; there were four rappers. We connected through social media. I was the fourth one to join because Saifan was my college friend. He just once asked, “If you’re doing solo, why not join our crew?” After that, we jammed together, and everyone released songs together. It was quite a different experience; I learned a lot about life. Even now, we jam together a lot. 

Can you share the story behind the creation of your viral hit ‘Obsessed’? 

“Obsessed” was created by Abhijay Sharma and me in Abhijay’s home studio within 2-3 hours. I had some specific ideas in my mind about the kind of song I wanted, so after that, we just kept vibing, and the song was made just like that, in a fun way, without much thought, whatever happened, happened. I used to listen to Abhijay’s music, I knew he sings really well apart from music production. So, I felt it’s not necessary to only do music production. If there’s a collaboration, we should do something different, like incorporating classical music. So, we met again at Abhijay’s home studio. We had already made one song before, and then I had come to Punjab. Abhijay said, “This vibe isn’t working, when you come back, we’ll make something else,” and that’s how “Obsessed” was made. 

What are the key themes you aim to explore in your music? 

After my proper hardcore rap in my genre, I included R&B/POP because I had a liking for singing along with rap. I used to record covers and listen to them myself. Even now, I’m working on various different ideas and styles. I always enjoy trying out new things. 

In my lyrics, I like to talk about things that I observe around me personally or things that happen in my life. I prefer talking about those things, and mostly, I like to write about my own lifestyle in all my songs. There’s always some story related to my life behind every song or lyric. 

How has your education at Guru Nanak Khalsa College contributed to your musical journey? 

Riar Saab: Mujhe mere college mein kaafi kam log jaante the ke yeh rap wagere karta hai. (Not a lot of people in college knew that I do rap because only my friends knew about it.) Nobody had an idea of what I was doing because that was just the initial period. There was an event in college where I performed, and that’s when some others also got to know that, yes, this guy does rap, and the response was really good. Of course, those who didn’t understand would also make fun of me for it [laughs]. 

What role has your family, especially your sister, played in your pursuit of music? 

Riar Saab: My family has always been supportive, so there wasn’t any situation created in life, nor did I have to face any difficulties. But my sister helped me a lot because of her, I am in this field today. She specifically handled everything at home, explained to me what I should do. 

How do you feel about the impact of social media on your career? 

Riar Saab: Because of social media, today, everything is easily accessible. Whatever message/news, etc., you want, you can easily find it anywhere. If there’s any talent, just upload it, and the world will notice it tomorrow. But it’s also easy that if you put something out hastily, it goes viral. The content should be such that people like it; only then will the world like it. If people are loving it, then yes, you’re everywhere.

How do you handle the pressure and expectations that come with viral success? 

Riar Saab: To tell the truth, I am the kind of guy who loves taking the local train to where I need to go – because that’s just the Mumbai lifestyle. Since I’m from here, I like to live like everyone else. I don’t feel anything different; if I’m on the train, people meet me, if I’m on the street, people meet me. So, I just like to live normally like that. 

What has been the most surreal moment of your career so far? 

Riar Saab: The happiest day of my entire career was when Vicky Kaushal uploaded a reel with my song, and then, you know what happened. And then, the love that the song received was on another level. The whole crowd sang along at the show; that experience was on a completely different level. 

Can you tell us about any upcoming projects or collaborations you’re excited about? 

Besides my career, if I’ve thought of anything, it’s this, that I dream of having something like a farmhouse for animals, where we can adopt and take care of them properly, like an NGO. 

How do you stay grounded amid the fame and attention? 

Riar Saab: Bas wohi reason hai kyuki jaha se hum aaye hai woh roots toh kabhi nai bhulna chyea specially woh logo ko nai bhulna chyea jo humare saath the phele din se but street se kaafi kuch seekha hai toh lifestyle bhi uss tareeke ka hai. (That’s the reason because where we come from, we should never forget our roots, especially not the people who have been with us since day one. We’ve learned a lot from the streets, so the lifestyle is also like that.)