Delhi based artist and creative, Zefaan’s journey sits at the intersection of music, visual art, and entrepreneurship. From developing his distinct sound to launching his energy drink brand XTCY and collaborating with Timbaland, he’s approached every project with a clear creative vision. But there’s more to his work than just the surface. In this interview, we dig into how his ideas take shape—whether it’s through music, visuals, or business—and how he balances all of it while staying true to his identity.
Let’s start at the beginning. When did you first start shaping your creative identity, and how did that evolve into music and your drink brand, XTCY?
It started very young, I would say, like, there are two sides to me. One is the creative, the artist side. And then there’s also this one business side. That’s how I started XTCY as well, which is the drink that I launched. So in terms of both, I feel like they fit in really well. But in terms of artistry, it started with film.
So I started doing filmmaking when I was like 14, 15. And right after that, I just got into music as well. So I’ve always, you know, loved artists who have control on every single aspect of everything.
You know, like if it’s like Tyler, the creator, for example, or Kanye, you know, they have control on their videos, like to the point where they’re directing. And, you know, every outfit matters. The album art matters, the wigs they wear, even the fact that they have a wig, everything matters.
So I don’t think I’m there yet, but I want to reach there.
Did your childhood play a role in shaping your creative identity? How supportive were your parents and family in that journey?
Childhood was amazing. Very supportive. In fact, I feel like they were so over-supportive that they kind of made me delusional to the fact that, you know, I think that I can, like, become a fucking artist and start a business and all this shit. So I think that’s what love and support does. It enables people to believe in themselves and be like, hey, you know, and that’s also about artistry—initially you will be making shit music, right? Like, when you first start, it’ll be crap, it’ll be cringe. But you have to be delusional enough to kind of just want to keep going and be like, in the moment, you think it’s good. But then, like, when you look back at it a year or two later, you’re like, oh, fuck, that was so cringe.
But you just have to be delusional, right? Because how else do you reach the top? Like, out of 8 billion people, like, why the hell are you the one person that’s going to make it? That is absolute delusion and narcissism to the point where it’s like, why do you think that? Why do I think I can make it, you know?
Your sound feels global but also deeply rooted in your Indian upbringing. How did you find that balance in your music?
Growing up in India, I was exposed to both Western and Indian influences. As a kid, Eminem was the goat, 50 Cent, Timbaland, Kanye. And then in my teens, it became Drake, Travis, J. Cole, Kendrick, of course. Now I would say my number one artist is Future. But at the same time, Indian music’s rhythms are in my DNA. The fusion of those two worlds isn’t something I plan—it just happens naturally. Indian music has a unique rhythm that’s even inspired Western sounds, and that blend became my signature without me forcing it.
When you’re starting a new project, whether it’s a track or a business idea, what sparks the process?
It’s all about the moment. For music, it always starts with the beat. I’ll produce something, then do these mumble demos—just freestyling whatever comes to mind. Eventually, that shapes into a song. But the vibe of the music reflects where I am mentally. Like with “Love in the Club,” it was more upbeat and poppy because that’s how I felt at the time. With XTCY, the inspiration was more about seeing a gap in the market and wanting to create something fresh. But even then, the branding and marketing tie back into my creative vision—it’s all interconnected.
Your collaboration with Timbaland was a big milestone. How did that come about, and what did you take away from it?
Tim had this live-streaming music review session, and I submitted some tracks. He vibed with them, and we started chatting. Eventually, we became homies, and I asked him to hop on a song. What struck me was how in touch he is with global music. A lot of Western artists stay in their bubble, but Tim genuinely loves Indian culture and believes the best music is coming from global artists. That experience taught me the importance of thinking bigger and staying true to your roots at the same time.
How do you balance being an artist and running a business like XTCY? Do they feel like separate worlds, or do they overlap?
They’re different, but they overlap in interesting ways. In business, I know exactly what to do and can predict the results—like putting XTCY on Blinkit or Big Basket, I know that’ll boost sales. But music is unpredictable. You can’t guarantee a song will blow up just because you like it. That said, once the music is made, I treat it like a product. You have to market it, distribute it, and build a brand around it—just like with XTCY. But I want XTCY to stand on its own, separate from my music career. It’s its own entity, and that’s important to me.
Performing live and creating in the studio are two very different experiences. How do they each impact your connection to the music?
I mean, it’s a bunch of nerves until you’re on the stage, then the nerves kind of just go and you just have to do what you’ve got to do. But it’s really fun performing it, especially if you see people like, you know, if you see people who know it, if you see people vibing to it, then that’s like a different level of like, happiness. That’s just like, damn, I created this, came out of my brain, came out of my a**, and like, these guys are like, you know, these guys are like enjoying it.
In the studio, though, it’s more introspective. It’s just me and the music, experimenting, tweaking, and getting lost in the process. Both have their own magic—the studio is where the ideas are born, but the stage is where they come to life.
What’s next for you, both musically and with XTCY?
I’ve got a new single coming this Feb—it’s going to be a big one. Musically, I want to collaborate with more Indian artists this year and just keep pushing my sound forward. As for XTCY, it’s about consistent growth. We’re already in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore, but I want it to become one of India’s biggest beverage brands. It’s all about building and evolving—whether it’s through music or business.
