In a world where music often chases trends, few voices rise above to touch the soul. One such voice is Vinay Katoch, a pahadi singer-songwriter whose music flows like poetry and devotion intertwined. From the serene Himalayas to viral tracks like Kedarnath, Bhole Mera Yaar, Layak, and Bhala, Vinay has emerged as an artist who brings authenticity, spirituality, and raw emotion into today’s music landscape.
What makes him stand apart is his deep-rooted connection to Lord Shiva and Goddess Shakti, which reflects in his music. His latest release, Shiv Shakti, is a goosebump-inducing masterpiece that resonates not just as a song but as a prayer. And for millions, his Maha Shivaratri anthem Shiv Hain Na, sung with his brother Vineet Katoch, became a devotional wave across platforms.
Anchal Ojha from GrooveNexus sat down with the ever-grounded, humble, and spiritually driven artist to talk about his journey, his faith, and his vision for the future of music.
“In a BEAT” – Quick Questions with Vinay Katoch
Anchal Ojha: Mountains or Cities?
Vinay Katoch: Mountains. Always mountains, the hills feel like home to me.
Anchal Ojha: Morning riyaaz or late-night writing?
Vinay Katoch: Late-night writing.
Anchal Ojha: If you had to describe Lord Shiva in one word?
Vinay Katoch: The Ultimate.
Anchal Ojha: A song of yours that is closest to your heart.
Vinay Katoch: Mai Shiv Hu song. I made that during a very difficult time when I was at a COVID centre in Himachal. That contrast—the calmness in the song and the turbulence of life at that time—makes it very special to me.
Anchal Ojha: Tea or coffee during jamming?
Vinay Katoch: Coffee, sometimes tea.
Anchal Ojha: One dream stage you want to perform on.
Vinay Katoch:I don’t think of a particular stage as a “dream.” For me, the dream is just to keep making music that reaches people.
Anchal Ojha: If given a chance: Bollywood playback or stay indie forever?
Vinay Katoch: I’ll always lean indie, though I’m not closed to opportunities.
Anchal Ojha: Your mantra for life in one line?
Vinay Katoch: Roll the dice…! The chances of getting lucky increase with every try.
Roots And Personal Story
Anchal Ojha: You come from the mountains, a Pahadi soul. How has growing up in the hills shaped your music and your connection to Lord Shiva?
Vinay Katoch: My father served in the army, so we moved wherever he was posted. I didn’t grow up only in Himachal, but I always felt a deep connection to the mountains. Even my village, Mahakal, falls under a town called Baijnath—both names of Lord Shiva. Maybe that bond of mountains and Shiv ji was always meant to be.
Anchal Ojha: How do your family and especially your brother Vineet Katoch contribute to your journey?
Vinay Katoch: Vineet is deeply involved in my music. I usually compose, write, and produce, and Vineet adds his voice—many songs have his vocals. He also helps in video production. We’ve shared a strong bond since childhood, and music became a part of that. It’s never felt like only my journey; it has always been ours.
Anchal Ojha: Beyond music, what keeps you grounded and connected to your roots?
Vinay Katoch: Traveling! I love spending time in nature and exploring places with cultural or historical significance. These places connect me to my roots.
When I see beautiful structures and creations made by people before us, it reminds me that I am nobody in front of such greatness. It helps me step away from that main-character energy that I notice a lot of people slip into. If you start believing you are the centre of everyone’s world, you cut yourself away from your roots and stop being grounded.
Experiencing the art and creations of people before us reminds me I am just a small part of a bigger world. It keeps me humble, grounded, and connected to my roots.
Music Journey of Vinay Katoch
Anchal Ojha: Your first viral track Kedarnath touched so many hearts. Did you expect it to blow up the way it did?
Vinay Katoch: Honestly, it didn’t go viral initially. The response was lukewarm, and I felt disheartened because we worked so hard—not just on the audio but the video too. We did three treks (Tungnath, Kedarnath and one more) back-to-back to shoot, which was physically exhausting.
Doing one trek takes a lot of energy, so you can imagine the physical exhaustion of doing three in a row. Still, I am proud of that experience. The reason I felt low was because after giving so much effort, the response felt less than what the song deserved.
Slowly, people discovered it, and the turnaround made me grateful and happy.
Anchal Ojha: Songs like Bhole Mera Yaar, Layak, and Bhala carry deep poetic emotions. Do you write from personal experiences or divine inspiration?
Vinay Katoch: For sure, divine inspiration. It’s more about feeling than personal experience. It’s very hard to explain, but I feel the music flows through me, not by me. It’s like I enter a zone where I live the emotional state in my mind, and the song becomes what I see and feel. The melody and the lyrics both convey the thought.
I usually don’t sit down and plan to write about a certain topic. That has been very rare. I enter a zone where the melody and lyrics come naturally, almost as if from a higher power.
Anchal Ojha: As a lyricist and singer, what comes first for you—lyrics as poetry or melody as music?
Vinay Katoch: Both together. I don’t really play any instrument, so I mostly hum and sing the words in my head.
Anchal Ojha: Many of your songs reflect today’s conflict between tradition and showmanship in religion. What’s your personal take on this?
Vinay Katoch: There should always be balance. Rituals and devotion are important, but karma is the foundation. Shiv Ji values karma above all; devotion without action is incomplete.
Anchal Ojha: You release through Record Mill—can you tell us about the vision behind starting it and how it supports independent music?
Vinay Katoch: Record Mill started as a project during my sound engineering and filmmaking course. It’s not a label but our creative space, our studio. Currently, we focus on in-house music, and in the future, it could grow into a full-fledged label.
Divine Bhakti – Shiv Shakti
Anchal Ojha: Shiv Shakti gave goosebumps to so many, including me. What was the deeper thought while creating it?
Vinay Katoch: While working on this song, I often wondered why Shivji endured so much, why he did not simply claim his love. Who could have stopped him? I realized love isn’t something you claim; it’s something you earn. Even the gods were tested, even they endured pain for love.
That is why the line “dheer bina koi prem nahi” is so close to me—without patience, there is no love. This song taught me that love requires sacrifice, patience, and strength. That is why this song is very special to me.
Today we live in an era of detached declarations like “I don’t need a man” or “I don’t need a woman.”
People don’t invest in each other the way they used to, and heartbreaks are often blamed for this. But the truth is, finding love was never easy. It is a journey of resilience. Something so priceless cannot be expected to come effortlessly.
Anchal Ojha: What role does Shiv Bhakti play in your everyday life and songwriting?
Vinay Katoch: My bhakti is music. I give my best through it and don’t even claim sole ownership of my songs because when I look at them later, I also feel, “Did I really make this?” The songs that people celebrate, even I celebrate, have surely come through Him to me. My karma is to make music that impacts people positively and I do so, almost every day 🙂
Anchal Ojha: How do you see music as a medium of devotion rather than just entertainment?
Vinay Katoch: Music touches hearts uniquely—it can bring smiles, evoke tears, calm minds, or lift spirits. Music, to me, is a medium of expression. For some, it’s a medium of motivation; for others, a medium of relaxation. It can convey love, make someone feel understood, or help heal a heartbreak. Entertainment and devotion are just two expressions of the wide emotional spectrum music can channel.
Industry & Collaborations
Anchal Ojha: The independent music scene is growing in India. What challenges and opportunities do you see for artists like yourself?
Vinay Katoch: The independent music scene is growing well in India. I think the biggest challenges are competition and reach —marketing budgets of big production houses make organic reach harder. But platforms like YouTube and streaming services offer tremendous opportunities for artists to share music directly with audiences.
Anchal Ojha: Are there any artists or labels you dream of collaborating within the future?
Vinay Katoch: My dream has always been simply to make music, and I feel I’m living that dream already. I stay focused on creating independently but remain open to opportunities.
What truly makes me happy is making music, traveling, and doing what I love. My main goal will always be to stay true to my music and my process.
Looking Ahead
Anchal Ojha: What’s next for you? Any upcoming songs, albums, or projects we should be excited about?
Vinay Katoch: Lots of songs are in the pipeline. Currently, we’re working on a Diwali song—my first Ramji song—with a planned music video. Layak 2 is coming soon too, and several other tracks are shaping up nicely. I will be announcing them soon, and I am thrilled to share this journey with everyone.
Anchal Ojha: If you weren’t making music, what do you think you’d be doing today?
Vinay Katoch: Honestly, I’m not sure, but I was very into computers and technology. Without music, I’d probably be immersed in the tech world—a true nerd at heart!
In the end, I want to sincerely thank you, Anchal Ojha, for this lovely interview. It made me reflect on a lot of things, because sometimes when someone asks a question, you pause and realize a lot about yourself. I am grateful for this opportunity and very glad that you connected with me. My best wishes are with you and the entire GrooveNexus team. Thank you once again.
Vinay Katoch: A Devotional Storyteller, A Musician
Vinay Katoch is more than just a musician—he is a storyteller of devotion, a poet of the mountains, and a seeker whose songs are prayers in disguise. At a time when faith is often worn as performance, his music reminds us of its truest form: surrender. As he continues to create, collaborate, and spread the essence of Shiv-Shakti, one thing is certain—his voice will echo not just through speakers but in the hearts of all who believe in the divine power of music.
