Zephyrtone ‘Turn Up The Love’ for Haters in New Song

Siliguri-origin electronic-pop duo Zephyrtone’s new song “Turn Up The Love” is their way of reminding trolls that there are real people “with real feelings” at the receiving end of “online negativity.”

The chill new bop from singer-songwriter Zephyr Ruth and producer Sayan Dhar starts with a smooth guitar lick and the vocalist stating, “She’s got the fakest accent ever/Auto-tuned in covers/Their new song, it sucks so bad/I hate her voice/It makes me mad.”

Released as part of World Music Day on Jun. 21 via music channel Vh1 India, the song is part of a campaign “dedicated to spreading positivity and support for artists globally.” A press release says, “Recognizing the adversities faced by musicians ranging from online bullying to unwarranted criticism, Vh1 India is committed to fostering an environment of love and encouragement.” The channel – owned by Viacom18 Media – was also out on streaming platform Jio Cinema, touted as “the first indie electronic pop music launch on the platform.”

Zephyrtone, known for their pop hits like “Pyaar Hai Tujhse,” “Baby Boo” and “Miss You”, say their latest song and campaign intends to inspire others to “rise above negativity and harness music’s healing power.” Their statement adds, “We turned online hate into a song of resilience and love. When Vh1 proposed ‘Turn Up the Love’, we eagerly embraced the challenge. Converting hate into positivity wasn’t easy, but we’re glad that we were able to pull this off and the song has turned out to be lovely. We hope everyone enjoys it and learns to ignore the negativity from haters.”

Formed in 2015 and beginning to release their own music from 2016 onwards, the Pune-based duo had their breakout hit with “Only You” featuring fellow Siliguri artist Xenon Phoenix. It went on to become part of their debut EP Shooting Stars in 2017. Several hits, tours and festival later, Zephyrtone were nominated for MTV EMA Best India Act in 2022, alongside the likes of Armaan Malik (who emerged winner), hip-hop artist Raja Kumari, hip-hop/pop star Badshah and DJ-producer Gurbax.

Watch the video for “Turn Up The Love” below.