Aditya Rikhari on Judging Music at I-POPSTAR Vol. 2: 'If the Song Feels Good to Your Heart'

For him, this is also how he plans to approach his role as a mentor. "I am going to keep it very simple. If the song feels good to your heart, then the artist feels good to you," he says.

Why He Believes Music Reality Shows Are Good for New Artists

Aditya also sees the growing number of music reality shows as a positive development for artists, because they give new musicians more opportunities to be heard. He believes platforms like "I-POPSTAR Vol. 2" can help audiences discover artists they may not have otherwise come across.

The second season will also challenge contestants to create new songs within a limited time — something Aditya feels will make the competition more interesting. With original music at the centre of the show, he is excited to see how the artists respond to the pressure and bring their own sound to the stage.

For Aditya, the strongest artist may not necessarily be the one who is technically perfect. It will be the one whose music makes people stop, listen and feel something — that emotional connection, he believes, is what can make an artist truly memorable.

From Home Studio to National Charts: The Songs Behind Aditya Rikhari

Aditya Rikhari's own journey gives weight to what he looks for in others. The Delhi-born singer-songwriter began releasing music from his home studio in 2020, during the pandemic, and built his following the same way he now says a listener connects with a song — organically, without chasing a formula.

His early breakthrough came with tracks like "Paaro," "Samjho Na" and "Faasle," which established his emotionally direct, lyric-forward style. That style found its biggest audience yet with "Sahiba," released in 2023 — a slow-burn hit that went on to become the longest-running non-film song on Spotify India's charts, staying on the list for over 11 weeks in 2025 alone, two years after its release.

His Bollywood playback debut came in 2024 with a reimagined version of his own song "Samjho Na," retitled "Jaana Samjho Na," for "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3" — a moment that also coincided with the release of his debut studio album, "Jaana." Since then, he has lent his voice and writing to a run of film songs, including "Sunn Mere Yaar Ve" for "Param Sundari," "Raat Bhar" for "De De Pyaar De 2," "Dil Waale Chor" for "Pati Patni Aur Woh Do," and "Tu Jahaan" for "Dacoit: A Love Story" — alongside independent releases such as "Kol Aa," "Humdum," "Subha Shaam" and, most recently, "Boohe Baarian," which he released on his birthday this past July.

Through it all, Aditya has spoken about resisting the pull to write for algorithms or trends, saying honesty in songwriting matters more to him than chasing virality — a philosophy that lines up closely with what he says he'll look for as a mentor on "I-POPSTAR Vol. 2."

About I-POPSTAR Vol. 2

"I-POPSTAR Vol. 2" follows the show's first season, which wrapped with Rohit Raut being crowned India's first I-POPSTAR. The new season is presented by Rusk Media, with Neha Kakkar, Aditya Rikhari and King on board as mentors, continuing the show's focus on original, independent pop music.