Justh's 'Chor' Went Viral, But The Artist Isn't Hurrying His Next Move

I have a specific vision of where I want to go,' says the New Delhi singer-songwriter

- ANURAG TAGAT

EVERYONE FROM ACTOR Madhuri Dixit to pet parents to food bloggers have used Justh’s song “Chor” as a soundtrack to their lives. The New Delhi singer-song-writer has arguably had the hit of the year (even though the song released in 2023) and he says over a video call that he was convinced it was going to be big even before it was out.

Seated in what looks like a studio room of a musician, complete with guitars, ukulele and more, Justh says, “Everybody thinks that I’m a cuckoo case and I’m not even getting started here.” Artists will always have self-belief, but maybe they need commitment and belief on Justh’s level – “Chor” has nearly 20 million streams on Spotify, 20 million more YouTube views on the music video and has been used in over 1 million Reels on Instagram.

He says this belief has been with him ever since he was a child and goes beyond making music or art in general. It wasn't always this way, though. "There was a period in my life for two years, especially when I was in 11th/12th [class in school] when I had lost all my self-belief," Justh says. He had shifted his school from a smaller one to one of the "biggest, prestigious schools in Delhi" and he was no longer "the most important guy." He adds, "I completely became part of the crowd and I completely lost all self-respect.

But then I met myself again." It might seem to some that Justh's honed songwriting and honest, worldwise lyrics on "Chor" came after years of being a struggling independent artist, but the truth is a lot more nuanced. He wrote poems as a kid but admits that he didn't know the first thing about singing or playing music.