By Spandan Fulkar
10th Sept 2024
By Spandan Fulkar
10th Sept 2024
Aron Selestin, better known by his stage name Aksomaniac, didn’t exactly start his musical journey with grand ambitions or visions of stardom. In fact, he was more likely to be found asleep during his early Carnatic music classes than actively participating. Growing up in Trivandrum, music wasn’t something he chose; it was more like something that was pushed onto him. Yet, like many things that begin as obligations, it eventually found a way into his life and became a driving force. But not immediately. In his own words, “I mostly slept through those classes.”
The real shift happened in 11th grade when a friend, Arjun, wouldn’t stop bugging him about listening to Frank Ocean’s ‘Blonde’. Aron had barely listened to anything outside of Indian music up until that point, save for the occasional pop song playing on the radio. After weeks of relentless nudging, he finally gave in. And while ‘Blonde’ didn’t instantly click, it cracked open something inside him. The jarring transition from a world filled with familiar sounds to something as expansive and genre-blurring as ‘Blonde’ changed his perspective on what music could be. That encounter wasn’t just his first taste of Frank Ocean; it was his first real introduction to R&B, which set him on the musical path he walks today.
Aron Selestin, better known by his stage name Aksomaniac, didn’t exactly start his musical journey with grand ambitions or visions of stardom. In fact, he was more likely to be found asleep during his early Carnatic music classes than actively participating. Growing up in Trivandrum, music wasn’t something he chose; it was more like something that was pushed onto him. Yet, like many things that begin as obligations, it eventually found a way into his life and became a driving force. But not immediately. In his own words, “I mostly slept through those classes.”
The real shift happened in 11th grade when a friend, Arjun, wouldn’t stop bugging him about listening to Frank Ocean’s ‘Blonde’. Aron had barely listened to anything outside of Indian music up until that point, save for the occasional pop song playing on the radio. After weeks of relentless nudging, he finally gave in. And while ‘Blonde’ didn’t instantly click, it cracked open something inside him. The jarring transition from a world filled with familiar sounds to something as expansive and genre-blurring as ‘Blonde’ changed his perspective on what music could be. That encounter wasn’t just his first taste of Frank Ocean; it was his first real introduction to R&B, which set him on the musical path he walks today.
Fast forward to today, and Aksomaniac’s music is a blend of genres and influences, pulling from his Carnatic roots, jazz, hip-hop, and Western classical elements. But what really makes his sound distinct is the seamless collision of these worlds—Indian vocal lines meshing with hip-hop beats and layered, complex arrangements. It's a mix that feels both global and deeply personal, a reflection of his own diverse journey in music.
Despite the fluidity and confidence of his current work, it all started with a song called ‘CloseByMe’. Featured on his latest EP, ‘Explained Twice’, this track was born from the heartbreak of drifting apart from a close friend, a feeling of loss that felt akin to losing a piece of oneself. "When someone who knew you so well and understood you deeply is no longer a part of your life, it can be devastating," Aron reflects. For him, this track was a way to process that emotion, even if, in his words, he ended up commodifying it. "That’s just the nature of the business I’m in, unfortunately."
This tension between making art from personal pain and packaging it as a product is something that Aron continues to grapple with. As he puts it, “I’m still trying to figure out what my goal with music is.” While his music started out as confessional and deeply personal, it's evolving. Recently, he's been pushing himself to write about topics that challenge him—not just as an artist, but as a person. Tackling harder issues requires a level of authenticity and introspection that he’s still honing, but he’s committed to the process. For him, music is as much about self-improvement as it is about self-expression.
With ‘Veer Off’, Aron feels he hit a creative sweet spot where the emotional weight of the lyrics matched the sonic richness of the track. It’s a song that hasn’t lost its magic for him, even after listening to it countless times during the production process.
But Aron’s ambitions don’t stop at a handful of tracks or a few EPs. This year, he’s aiming high. He’s working on two film projects, finishing the background scores for both. And as an indie artist, he’s taking on what he calls his “Brockhampton moment”—releasing multiple projects within the span of a few months. His debut EP, ‘Explained Twice’, is already out, with another EP titled ‘Bait/Switch’ on the way, followed by a Malayalam EP. The single “Running” from ‘Bait/Switch’ drops on September 20th, kicking off a series of back-to-back releases that will define his year.
Reflecting on his journey so far, Aron has learned some important lessons, chief among them being the importance of remembering why he started making music in the first place. “It’s easy to get caught up in commodifying, marketing, and turning your music into a product,” he says. But for him, it’s crucial to hold onto the joy of creating, the raw need to move people with his music. It’s a reminder he keeps close, especially in the fast-paced, sometimes overwhelming music industry.
At the end of the day, Aron Selestin, or Aksomaniac as he’s known on stage, is an artist still figuring it all out. But that’s part of what makes his music so compelling—it’s raw, honest, and always evolving. He’s not afraid to admit his failures (like the four times he tried and failed to be a Carnatic vocalist, tabla player, keyboard player, and pianist), but those so-called failures led him to where he is now: writing songs that resonate, songs that people actually listen to. And perhaps most importantly, songs that reflect his own growth, not just as an artist, but as a person.
“I’m in the business of moving people with my message, and that has to come from a genuine place,” he says. “Ultimately, I’m trying to become a better person, and I hope I write better songs.”
That quest for betterment is reflected in his creative process as well. Aron’s music-making used to be solitary, born from hours spent alone at the piano, letting his emotions spill out into melodies and lyrics. These days, though, he's working with producers like Fatboi Raccoon, whose instrumentals push him in directions he wouldn’t have explored on his own. One example is the song “Paapam,” which started out as a track about a pregnancy scare but has since evolved into something deeper, exploring feelings of being cursed.
It’s always an iterative process for Aron. He listens to what the instrumental is saying and figures out what it means to him, often allowing a song’s meaning to shift as he works on it. This collaborative approach has made him a better songwriter, forcing him to engage with music in new ways and step outside his comfort zone.
Despite the complexity of his sound and his rapidly growing discography, Aron’s favourite song remains ‘Veer Off’. It's a deeply vulnerable track about a father-son relationship, one of his most personal pieces of work. But it's not just the emotional depth that makes this song special for him; it’s the production. “Everything just seemed to align for this one,” he shares. “It might not resonate with everyone, but it’s a song I keep coming back to, which is rare for me.”
Fast forward to today, and Aksomaniac’s music is a blend of genres and influences, pulling from his Carnatic roots, jazz, hip-hop, and Western classical elements. But what really makes his sound distinct is the seamless collision of these worlds—Indian vocal lines meshing with hip-hop beats and layered, complex arrangements. It's a mix that feels both global and deeply personal, a reflection of his own diverse journey in music.
Despite the fluidity and confidence of his current work, it all started with a song called ‘CloseByMe’. Featured on his latest EP, ‘Explained Twice’, this track was born from the heartbreak of drifting apart from a close friend, a feeling of loss that felt akin to losing a piece of oneself. "When someone who knew you so well and understood you deeply is no longer a part of your life, it can be devastating," Aron reflects. For him, this track was a way to process that emotion, even if, in his words, he ended up commodifying it. "That’s just the nature of the business I’m in, unfortunately."
This tension between making art from personal pain and packaging it as a product is something that Aron continues to grapple with. As he puts it, “I’m still trying to figure out what my goal with music is.” While his music started out as confessional and deeply personal, it's evolving. Recently, he's been pushing himself to write about topics that challenge him—not just as an artist, but as a person. Tackling harder issues requires a level of authenticity and introspection that he’s still honing, but he’s committed to the process. For him, music is as much about self-improvement as it is about self-expression.
With ‘Veer Off’, Aron feels he hit a creative sweet spot where the emotional weight of the lyrics matched the sonic richness of the track. It’s a song that hasn’t lost its magic for him, even after listening to it countless times during the production process.
But Aron’s ambitions don’t stop at a handful of tracks or a few EPs. This year, he’s aiming high. He’s working on two film projects, finishing the background scores for both. And as an indie artist, he’s taking on what he calls his “Brockhampton moment”—releasing multiple projects within the span of a few months. His debut EP, ‘Explained Twice’, is already out, with another EP titled ‘Bait/Switch’ on the way, followed by a Malayalam EP. The single “Running” from ‘Bait/Switch’ drops on September 20th, kicking off a series of back-to-back releases that will define his year.
Reflecting on his journey so far, Aron has learned some important lessons, chief among them being the importance of remembering why he started making music in the first place. “It’s easy to get caught up in commodifying, marketing, and turning your music into a product,” he says. But for him, it’s crucial to hold onto the joy of creating, the raw need to move people with his music. It’s a reminder he keeps close, especially in the fast-paced, sometimes overwhelming music industry.
At the end of the day, Aron Selestin, or Aksomaniac as he’s known on stage, is an artist still figuring it all out. But that’s part of what makes his music so compelling—it’s raw, honest, and always evolving. He’s not afraid to admit his failures (like the four times he tried and failed to be a Carnatic vocalist, tabla player, keyboard player, and pianist), but those so-called failures led him to where he is now: writing songs that resonate, songs that people actually listen to. And perhaps most importantly, songs that reflect his own growth, not just as an artist, but as a person.
With ‘Veer Off’, Aron feels he hit a creative sweet spot where the emotional weight of the lyrics matched the sonic richness of the track. It’s a song that hasn’t lost its magic for him, even after listening to it countless times during the production process.
But Aron’s ambitions don’t stop at a handful of tracks or a few EPs. This year, he’s aiming high. He’s working on two film projects, finishing the background scores for both. And as an indie artist, he’s taking on what he calls his “Brockhampton moment”—releasing multiple projects within the span of a few months. His debut EP, ‘Explained Twice’, is already out, with another EP titled ‘Bait/Switch’ on the way, followed by a Malayalam EP. The single “Running” from ‘Bait/Switch’ drops on September 20th, kicking off a series of back-to-back releases that will define his year.
Reflecting on his journey so far, Aron has learned some important lessons, chief among them being the importance of remembering why he started making music in the first place. “It’s easy to get caught up in commodifying, marketing, and turning your music into a product,” he says. But for him, it’s crucial to hold onto the joy of creating, the raw need to move people with his music. It’s a reminder he keeps close, especially in the fast-paced, sometimes overwhelming music industry.
At the end of the day, Aron Selestin, or Aksomaniac as he’s known on stage, is an artist still figuring it all out. But that’s part of what makes his music so compelling—it’s raw, honest, and always evolving. He’s not afraid to admit his failures (like the four times he tried and failed to be a Carnatic vocalist, tabla player, keyboard player, and pianist), but those so-called failures led him to where he is now: writing songs that resonate, songs that people actually listen to. And perhaps most importantly, songs that reflect his own growth, not just as an artist, but as a person.
“I’m in the business of moving people with my message, and that has to come from a genuine place,” he says. “Ultimately, I’m trying to become a better person, and I hope I write better songs.”
That quest for betterment is reflected in his creative process as well. Aron’s music-making used to be solitary, born from hours spent alone at the piano, letting his emotions spill out into melodies and lyrics. These days, though, he's working with producers like Fatboi Raccoon, whose instrumentals push him in directions he wouldn’t have explored on his own. One example is the song “Paapam,” which started out as a track about a pregnancy scare but has since evolved into something deeper, exploring feelings of being cursed.
It’s always an iterative process for Aron. He listens to what the instrumental is saying and figures out what it means to him, often allowing a song’s meaning to shift as he works on it. This collaborative approach has made him a better songwriter, forcing him to engage with music in new ways and step outside his comfort zone.
Despite the complexity of his sound and his rapidly growing discography, Aron’s favourite song remains ‘Veer Off’. It's a deeply vulnerable track about a father-son relationship, one of his most personal pieces of work. But it's not just the emotional depth that makes this song special for him; it’s the production. “Everything just seemed to align for this one,” he shares. “It might not resonate with everyone, but it’s a song I keep coming back to, which is rare for me.”
