Dhruv has quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry, known for his introspective songwriting and anthemic pop sound. Originally gaining attention with his debut single 'double take' while still in college, Dhruv's heartfelt lyrics and relatable themes struck a chord with listeners worldwide. The song's success skyrocketed after it became a sensation on TikTok, ultimately leading to over 700 million streams on Spotify alone. Since then, Dhruv has continued to capture hearts with tracks like 'moonlight' and 'vulnerable', solidifying his place as a rising star in the pop scene.

Building on this momentum, Dhruv signed with Little Worry/RCA Records and released his debut EP, rapunzel, in 2022. His rapidly growing catalog has surpassed a billion streams, averaging 7 million new streams each week. Following sold-out tours across the US, UK, and Asia, Dhruv's live performances have further cemented his reputation as an artist with both depth and mass appeal. As he continues to grow and evolve, Dhruv remains dedicated to creating music that resonates on a deeply personal level while connecting with a broad audience.

Now, Dhruv is set to release his debut album, Private Blizzard, on 23 August. The title, inspired by Margaret Atwood’s poem 'The City Planners', reflects the intense emotions and solitude that fueled the album’s creation. Describing the experience of writing songs amidst everyday life, Dhruv captures the contrast of personal turmoil against the backdrop of mundane routines. Private Blizzard is a deeply personal project born out of Dhruv's reflections on loneliness, transience, and the search for belonging, marking a significant chapter in his artistic journey. We caught up with him to get the inside scoop on his latest project.

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your new album, Private Blizzard? What themes and messages do you explore in this project?

The last couple of years have been sort of turbulent in some ways. On the one hand, I have lived between so many different cities. On the other hand, my personal life has also kind of been interesting, like dealing with the end of a relationship. Off the success of my last project, trying to figure out my place in music, it's been more intense in some ways than, I think, than my first project. I would say the themes of this album are very much like heartbreak - that's definitely a big theme on the album. Like, feeling lonely? Loneliness definitely plays a part on this album and it's very coming-of-age in some ways. I think it's like making a mess, and then trying to untangle that mess, is how I think about the course of the album.

The title Private Blizzard is intriguing. Can you elaborate on what it signifies and how it relates to the album's overall narrative?

100%. I really like it as a title because it describes the sound of the album. So the writing part of it is quite intimate. It's very vulnerable, and that's where the "private" comes in. And then the "blizzard" is how many instruments are on the album - how live the album is, how messy it sounds. So it balances that vulnerable writing style with quite a maximal production. It's also the perfect description of the process of making the album. I wrote a lot of it outside. I wrote a lot of it in coffee shops, hotel lobbies, park benches, whatever. I thought it was funny that I would be in these public places, writing these very intense songs next to people who had no idea what I'd be writing about, and it felt like I would be in my own Private Blizzard, as I was writing the music as well. 

'Speed of Light' has a unique and uplifting vibe. What was the inspiration behind this song, and what message were you hoping to convey through its lyrics?

For that song specifically, you're right in that the instrumentation, the production is very uplifting, but the song itself is kind of about wondering how an ex could move on so quickly, and specifically asking the question of what that meant about your relationship, whether they cared about you as much as they said they did. And it's basically a song about realizing you lost the breakup in some ways. So, yeah, that's one thing about this album, it definitely deals with heavier themes and topics, but in a way that feels uptempo at times, and doesn't feel like a drag.

The music video for 'Speed of Light' has visually striking elements and a distinct narrative. Can you tell us about the creative process behind the video and how it complements the song's themes?

That video specifically feels very much like it relates to the themes of the entire album. The process of the album was the idea of me being out in the real world, observing the people around me, and with this song it kind of features me in city landscapes, it features me in New York City, but it zooms into the different characters of the city. It relates to the original quote that Private Blizzard comes from, which is "each in his own private blizzard". So it's sort of drawing from different characters within the city and zooming in on their own private blizzards. I'm not really the main character in the video as it kind of moves between different people, and I think that's an interesting idea. 

How have fans responded to the new singles from Private Blizzard? What has been the most memorable feedback you've received?

Fans have been amazing. I didn't really know what to expect because it's been a while since I put out music. I didn’t put out any music in 2023. Obviously I put out a lot of music in 2022 and then took so much time off. But when you're working on something quietly behind the scenes, you never really know if you're going to be received super well. And to have people excited about everything was so fun.  People really seem to like the ballad song which was called ‘Grieving’, which I am really happy about because it felt like a bit of a risk to put out as a single, as opposed to more uptempo songs. So people seemed to really respond to that one, which is nice.

With the demands of a rising music career, how do you manage to balance your personal life and artistic pursuits?

Well, initially I didn't have a good balance of it. I felt very zeroed in on making something to follow up my last album, and ultimately I realized that the music suffers if your life suffers. So if you're kind of only doing music and you're not focusing on bettering your life, meeting people, having experiences - you're not really have anything to write about. And once I kind of realized that, I started prioritizing myself and liked my experiences. It led to music that drew more from my life, which made it feel richer and more meaningful.