Yatharth Blends Afro-Pop, R&B and More on New Song ‘Sarfiraa’

In December 2015, Yatharth Ratnum (who goes by his first name as an artist) was crowned winner of the first season of English singing reality show The Stage. The Varanasi-origin singer-producer says it was then that his “transformation” from just being a singer to an artist began.

He’s now out with his latest single “Sarfiraa,” which draws from Afro-pop, R&B and more and clearly shows a steady realignment of his English-first approach to music. His pop career started with the song “Continents,” which also gained a nomination in the Best Indian Act category at the MTV European Music Awards in 2017. At the peak of the spotlight, Yatharth says he decided to stop “running after short-lived fame” and focus on honing his skills as a songwriter, producer and live performer.

To that end, Yatharth worked with choreographer and dance director Ashley Lobo for more than 100 shows around the world. From singing in ads to working with composers like Ehsaan Noorani, Loy Mendonsa, Dhruv Ghanekar and Merlin D’Souza on their projects, Yatharth says all the experiences made him “well rounded as an artist” and gave him the confidence to share his upcoming material like “Sarfiraa.” He adds about his experiences on The Stage and how far he’s come: “We’re in the deep end of the pool now!”

On his new song, Yatharth channels heartbreak and vulnerability, but with dancefloor euphoria. He adds, “I promise you’ve not heard me sound anything like this ever before.” Thematically, “Sarfiraa” explores what Yatharth calls “the chaos and turmoil of not belonging to the person that you really want” while also finding catharsis from letting go and seeking peace of mind instead. He adds, “As I wrote and produced this song, it became a friend to me with whom I could talk to and I hope it can do the same for my listeners who are going through something similar and seeking comfort amidst turbulent emotions.”

From The Stage to now setting his sights on “global stages,” Yatharth says he’s all in now that his first solo song since “Continents” in 2017 is out. His upcoming four releases aim to “bend genres and break language barriers one after the other.” Yatharth says, “My upcoming songs are English and Hindi releases along with music videos and the kind of visuals and music production, I’m positive I’m going to surprise everyone with.” Live shows are also on the agenda. “I’m dying to be on stage with my new music and sing along with the audience, so hopefully towards the end of the year I’ll get to do that as well. I’m keeping a little window open for the surprises that’ll come along the way as I go on this journey!”

Watch the video for “Sarfiraa” below.