Young composer Ankit Gupta aka Ankiie, who hails from Punjab, is all charged up for his big break, Welcome To The Jungle, in which he has composed and produced tracks.
When asked about his mentors in music, the young composer says, “I have had multiple mentors throughout my journey. I would especially credit Anand Sharma, from whom I learned guitar. He inspired me and taught me how to remain calm and composed through music. Rajender Ji also played a major role in shaping my understanding of music production and guiding me at an early stage.”
Ankit also shares what role music plays in his life. He says, “Music has been the best part of my life and my safe space. Whether I am happy, sad, excited, lonely, or angry, music has always helped me experience and process those emotions. Even when I need to calm down, music is what I turn to. Honestly, I don’t know how to do anything else apart from music.”
As a composer, what kind of challenges does he face? He says, “There is simply too much music available today, making it difficult to build an audience and stand out. Social media has also reduced people’s attention spans. Creating a three- or four-minute song takes immense effort, but listeners often decide within a few seconds whether they like it or not. As a composer and lyricist, I enjoy both processes equally because when I write, I compose, and when I compose, I write. The two naturally complement each other. However, writing holds a special place in my heart because even the most beautiful melody cannot do much without words.”
Talking about the learnings from his career so far, Ankit shares that the biggest lesson has been to let his emotions out. Music is all about emotions, and for a long time, he tried to suppress them. He says, “I later realised that the more honestly you feel and express your emotions, the more deeply your music connects with people. Music was always my go-to place. No matter what emotion I was experiencing, music helped me understand and process it better. It became my safe space and eventually turned into my purpose in life.”
Ankit started his musical journey at the age of 17 as a co-composer in Punjab. He learned through self-study and mentorship, explored Punjabi regional music, Bollywood, and international sounds, and eventually reached a stage where he could experiment with genres like Afrobeats and Tribal House for Hindi cinema.
Ankit also shares his thoughts on connecting with the audience through music. He says, “I believe music should leave an impact. Whether a hundred people listen to my songs or a thousand, what matters to me is that they carry my music with them and remember how it made them feel. My tip to all aspiring musicians is to speak up much earlier. Socialise with people and overcome your shyness. Stop judging yourself and worrying about what others will think. Eventually, people recognise authenticity. Most importantly, express your emotions honestly and keep creating.”
But in the era of reels and instant validation, do you think musicians are under pressure to create trending songs instead of timeless music?
He says, “Absolutely. Today, many composers first think about what will work on social media. Sometimes, elements are added purely to grab attention, even if they don’t suit the composition. I miss the time when listeners had the patience to absorb complete songs and appreciate timeless music.
I want to be the kind of composer who creates timeless music—music that stays with people and leaves a lasting emotional impact, regardless of how many people listen to it.”
