Yes, there is Snapchat, which is slowly growing up in the era of Facebook and Instagram. Then there’s Musical.ly, the video social network that has won over teenagers. The popularity of the app was tested when one of its musers (trending users on the app) visited Hard Rock Cafe in Mumbai end-February.

Hrvy is 19 years old and has around 1.5 million fans on Musical.ly, besides 2.5 million followers on Instagram and over a million on Facebook. The Kent-born lad’s song Talk To Ya (Virgin EMI) has been trending since it released in November 2017.

t2 got a chance to shoot a few questions at the La La La La (Means I Love You) singer and this is what he has to say.

Hrvy, last month Mumbai was a crazy stop for you when you performed at the Hard Rock Cafe. Were you aware of your fan following in India?

Well, I did the show and the fans were amazing; they were the best I’ve ever had because they were so energetic. I definitely would like to come back, if only to say ‘thank you’. On my social media, I have had so many people asking me to come to India. That’s the reason I came and I’ve felt amazed ever since. A lot of the girls were crying… that’s insane. I just didn’t know what to do! They were saying so many nice things to me. I found the crowd here genuinely cute.

You have an amazing presence on social media…

Having the support of social media is so important. I have been lucky to have this following. It got me where I am and I owe a lot to them.

Mumbai is home to Bollywood. How well up are you on Bolly?

I have been asking my team and they said they would recommend movies and things to watch. I would love to get into Bollywood some day! One name that comes to mind is Shah Rukh Khan. Then I met Karisma Kapoor; she was a great person to talk to.

The video to your song Talk To Ya has done very well. How did it come about?

I wrote that last year with a few of my friends. We shot its music video in Los Angeles. I texted my friends as to who wanted to be in LA. It blew up after that. The video has done very well.

Who are your musical influences?

I grew up listening to a lot of rock because of my dad, and also songs that were on the charts… mainstream music. I grew up listening to U2, Justin Timberlake and Michael Jackson.

Who are inspired by at the moment?

I am inspired by Ariana Grande because of the way her music has evolved. She inspires me. I also like Tori Kelly; she is an amazing singer.

So who would you like to collaborate with?

I would love to collaborate with Ed Sheeran because he is really cool and he is also British! I would also like to collaborate with some people from Bollywood.

Besides music, we heard you are fond of video games...

I love to play Call of Duty on the Xbox and I am also enjoying Fortnite [read March 17 issue of t2 to know more about the game]. I like bang-bang and car games.

Has life changed a lot for the 19-year-old?

Uh, I don’t miss anything. I like being a pop star and meeting new people. I love to stay in new places. All that has changed is that things have become busier and more hectic. Also, I miss my family a lot because I am constantly on the road… that’s the biggest downside. My goal is to travel more and make a lot more music.

What about dating? What’s your idea of a perfect date?

I like the cinemas… so, go to the movies, eat popcorn. That’s my perfect date.

Finally, what’s the secret to your hairdo?

I use a lot of hairspray and hairdryer… a whole lot of it.

Mathures Paul

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