To the millions of music lovers world over who tap to his tunes, there are plenty of reasons why his songs ring so intimately with them. One is definitely that Kuhad doesn’t limit emotional expression by sticking to just one language. He writes in both English and Hindi, creating a diverse discography that transcends borders.

This bilingualism is perhaps one of the strongest suits in his artistic arsenal. Many times, the feelings and experiences we want to communicate don’t get correctly captured in one specific tongue, and finding the right words becomes a tough task. But Kuhad solves this puzzle intuitively – it’s the song that picks the language for him, not the other way round. This also perhaps helps him honestly verbalise every nook and cranny of his mind and heart, reflecting what they want to say.

Look at his 2020 single titled Kasoor. The song spread like wildfire upon its release, because of its dewy and cozy lyrics that resonated with Hindi speakers worldwide. The lyrics were simple, woven with care, and carried a deeper meaning that could be interpreted subjectively by the person hearing it. It painted a soft, sensitive imagery in our minds of what being in love on the daily felt like. With the way Kuhad uses the Hindi language in its most basic yet meaningful form, it succeeds in attracting even those who speak and understand what can be called its ‘daily’ version. It’s no surprise then that upon its release, the track topped Apple Music’s Top 100 list and garnered over 100 million streams on Spotify.

Kho Gaye Hum Kahan (2016), Tune Kaha (2016), Kahaan Ho Tum (2020), Mulaqat (2023) and Hum Dono (2023) are some other much loved Hindi numbers that bring listeners home to their feelings.

Let’s jump ship to his English tracks. It’s needless to mention that cold/mess (2019) is one of the most globally loved tracks from Kuhad’s songbook. Believe it or not, even Barack Obama placed it on his Favorite Music of 2019 list – impressive, indeed!

Oh Love (2015), Into The Night (2015), Tonight (2017), Hollow (2022) and Full Time Lover (2022) are some popular songs that get English speakers swooning to his tunes. If one looks at the way he frames these titles, his style remains quite like his Hindi compositions – not making things very verbose and very winded. The magic lies in his skill of selecting simple yet powerful words, and knitting them finely to create a warm sweater you can wear over your ears.

Maybe, exploring music in different languages was a purely artistic call he made. It can also be a decision based on his rich journey with music – he grew up listening to evergreen Hindi songs in his native Indian city of Jaipur, and enjoyed Western, English music in his college years at the New York University. Or, it was a practical decision to become a worldwide sensation. Whatever might the motivation be, Prateek Kuhad’s bilingual method has definitely added unimaginably to his global reach.

And for his devoted listeners, he has a song to offer for their every memory and every sentiment, and in the language that words it all genuinely, losing nothing in translation.