Creating a Pop Ballad in 50s; Mohita Gulati's Move Inspires

When Mohita Gulati released her first single, 'That One Emotion', recently, more than her song that could be talked about, there was another factor attached to this release. After all, it was a pop ballad that was released by someone in her 54s, unlike how such debuts are usually considered in the early years of life. 

For Gulati, it is "lovely that it’s sparked conversations, especially around age and creativity." "The truth is—dreams don’t come with expiry dates. If my journey inspires even one person to reconnect with a forgotten passion, I would consider that a true gift," she says. 

'That One Emotion' is anything but one emotion. The song, as per Gulati, is a smooth, soulful flow which is layered with hints of R&B and soft rock. Describing the same to Local Samosa, Gulati shares, "Lyrically, it reflects the confusion and vulnerability that come with searching for real love in a world full of fleeting connections. The emotion it captures isn’t just romantic—it’s that in-between space of longing, hesitation, and unspoken desires that many of us carry silently."

This pop ballad appears to be a genre that feels emotive and contemporary, while the message remains timeless, similar to the journey of Gulati, who thought of opting for her hobby, defying the age norms. Gulati spent her initial days in the career in Marketing while also raising a family, as she likes to call it. t

"I spent years focused on my career and raising a family. When the time felt right, I turned to music—something that had quietly lived within me for decades," the Gurugram-resident who was in Singapore as we spoke, affirms. While music was always her "emotional compass", Mohita Gulati could not give space to herself for pursuing what she always liked. 

"After a long and fulfilling professional journey, and once my children were grown, I finally asked myself: If not now, when?" Gulati says. The question, however, led her to release her single, which was symbolic for her. 'It wasn’t just a creative milestone, it was a personal reclamation," she says.

Being the first-ever project, it took Gulati a few months to create, from writing the lyrics to co-composing, recording, and producing the track. Talking about an anecdote during this time, Gulati says, "One of my fondest memories is actually from my vocal training sessions. The laughter, the inside jokes, the childlike energy—it became such a stress buster." That light-hearted energy often carried into the studio, Gulati says,  and another layer of realness and warmth to the song.

Gulati had already started online vocal training in November 2024. Once she decided that she would take music seriously, she started the practice. "I have had the good fortune of working with amazing vocal coaches who have helped me understand technique, breath control, pitch, and emotive delivery. It has been humbling and joyful to become a student again. I am learning every day."

Aligning with the young

Why the age becomes a matter of the talk point is because even the music industry has been facing the heat of competition, and to survive it, there is are exponential level of experiments going on while artists have made it a point to resonate with the pulse of the young.

"As an independent artist, I was definitely aware of how the industry has been aiming to resonate with the youth.  But I also wanted to stay true to the story I wanted to tell," Gulati shares. 'That One Emotion', hence, was not written with algorithms in mind—it came from a real place, as per Gulati.

That said, the singer does appreciate the power of social media to connect across generations. "If it resonates with younger audiences, that’s wonderful—because at the end of the day, emotions are universal,' she says. 

Gulati is working on a few more original songs and a cover or two that she says are close to your heart. Meanwhile, she is also experimenting with genres—Sufi-pop, East-West fusion, and maybe even something upbeat and danceable.

"I want to keep creating, learning, collaborating—without boxing myself into one style. Music, for me, is now a way of life," she adds.