Curos: From Viral Success to the Hotel Ziggy Stage

Curos: From Viral Success to the Hotel Ziggy Stage

At just 20 years old, Los Angeles-based pop artist Curos has already experienced the kind of breakthrough that many musicians spend years chasing. Originally from India and now building his career in Southern California, Curos first began turning heads through social media, where a single Instagram Reel propelled his song “Divine” into the millions of streams and introduced his music to listeners around the world.

Yet beyond the viral numbers is a hardworking artist who writes, records, produces, mixes, and masters his own material while continuing to expand into live performance, theater, and even acting. With a growing catalog of infectious pop songs and an enthusiastic fanbase behind him, Curos is quickly establishing himself as an artist to watch.

Highwire Daze caught up with Curos at the Coffee Bean on the Sunset Strip to discuss his journey, viral success, songwriting process, theater experiences, and what’s still ahead. Fans will also have the opportunity to catch him live when he performs at the upcoming We Found New Music / Highwire Daze collaborative showcase at Hotel Ziggy on November 11th.

Where are you based out of, and what is your local music scene like? I assume you’re based here in Los Angeles?
Curos: I’m based in Los Angeles now, but originally I’m from India. I’ve been living here for a couple of years, and because of that my musical influences come from all over the world.

What pushed you toward making music, and when did it start feeling like more than just a hobby?
Curos: I started singing when I was three years old, but the point where it became more than a hobby was when I was sixteen. I’d already been writing songs since I was around thirteen, but when I was sixteen a couple of my songs and videos started going viral. That was the moment I realized I could actually do this as a career. I’m twenty years old now, so it all happened pretty fast.

Let’s talk about your latest single, “Castaway.” Is there an overall story behind that song?
Curos: Absolutely. “Castaway” is based on a hypothetical situation. It’s about how I would express my feelings if my girlfriend and I were to break up. What’s a little unusual is that most heartbreak songs come from past experiences or relationships you’ve already been through, but this song comes more from a fear of that happening. Personally, it’s one of my favorite songs that I’ve written.

There’s still more work to do with the song in terms of visuals and other content, but that’s the background behind it.

“Girls Like You” featuring Kid Navi. Tell me about that collaboration.
Curos: Kid Navi is a great friend of mine. He hit me up one day and said it would be cool to have a pop singer on one of his tracks. Since he’s primarily doing rap, it felt like an interesting combination.

Everything happened completely on the spot. I didn’t even know the title of the song beforehand. He called me and said, “If you can pull up tomorrow at 8 PM, that would be great.” So I showed up, and the producer, De Carlo, started feeding me the melody line by line. I just kept singing along and recording until the song was finished. The whole thing came together in about an hour.

That’s cool that you were able to do it in person. A lot of collaborations aren’t done that way anymore.
Curos: Exactly. He’s based in Orange County, so it wasn’t too difficult to link up. We also had a videographer friend in common, which is how we originally connected.

“6 Degrees.” Tell me about that one.
Curos: “6 Degrees” is definitely one of my favorites. There was a lot of Justin Bieber influence in that song. It’s a straight-up pop record and a romantic love song. It talks about all the things I admire about someone. It’s fun, laid-back, and easy to listen to. I really love that song.

“Baby Don’t Love Me” featuring Sara Dolores. What can you tell me about that track?
Curos: Sara actually goes to the same university as I do. Originally, the song was only supposed to feature me. I wrote it, produced it, and handled everything myself, but I felt like it needed the perspective and texture of a female vocalist.

I asked Sara if she’d be interested in jumping on the track, and thankfully she was. I think it turned out really well. The song has a very retro, 1960s-inspired vibe to it.  There aren’t many songs being made in that style these days, which is exactly why I enjoy doing it.

Your song “Divine” is closing in on ten million streams on Spotify. What does a number like that mean to you?
Curos: Honestly, it happened overnight. It all started with a single Instagram Reel that I posted. Before “Divine,” my most-streamed song had around ten thousand streams and I had about a thousand monthly listeners.

Then the Reel suddenly exploded. It ended up getting around fourteen to fifteen million views, and everything changed from there. The crazy thing is that “Divine” was just a random song I wrote in my bedroom. All of my music is recorded in my home studio. I produce, mix, and master everything myself, so I don’t work with a producer or mixing engineer.

That was the moment where I realized I needed to fully commit and capitalize on the momentum. I started creating more content around the song and doing everything I could to keep that momentum going. It was really the breakthrough moment for both my Spotify presence and my music career overall.

What was it like playing one of the last shows at Hotel Café?
Curos: It was amazing. Hotel Café is one of my favorite venues. So many artists I look up to, like John Mayer and Katy Perry, have performed there. When they reached out to me, it felt surreal.

The show itself was very intimate and stripped-down. It was mostly just me and my electric guitar, and I had a few friends join in as well. It was a really fun experience and I enjoyed every minute of it.

What are some of the other places you’ve played around Los Angeles?
Curos: I’ve played Hotel Ziggy and I’ve done some of the We Found New Music showcases as well. I’ve also played a lot of shows in Orange County, Anaheim, and various local bars and cafés with a group I used to perform with.

More recently, I’ve started doing theater performances too, which has been a really interesting experience because I love performing live.

Overall, what can people expect from a live Curos show?
Curos: Live me is very unfiltered. There’s no script and nothing planned out. I get on stage, hang out, sing, and have fun. I love interacting with the audience. I embarrass myself on a daily basis, especially on stage, and I love it.

There’s no point in being overly strict with yourself or trying to make everything perfectly scripted. You’re supposed to have fun. I love having fun during my shows, and hopefully the audience feels the same way.

Tell me about your experience with Y2SLAY POP UNIVERSE.
Curos: That’s the theater production I was talking about. It was actually a really interesting experience because they accidentally forgot to send me the audition information. They sent it to me only thirty minutes before the submission deadline.

It was a Sunday, I had just woken up, and honestly I almost skipped it. But I thought, why not? So I sent in my acting clip, a singing audition, and a little dance performance. Somehow I got selected.

The whole team was amazing. We rehearsed for about four months and then put on the show. It was a one-night-only production, both opening and closing the same night, and around five hundred people came out. It was a great experience.

Would you like to do more theater?
Curos: Definitely. I didn’t grow up in theater like a lot of people did. I only did my first production last year, so it’s still pretty new to me. But I’ve learned a lot in a short amount of time and I really fell in love with it. I’d absolutely be open to doing more theater.

If you could open for any artist or band, past or present, who would it be and why?
Curos: One Direction, easily.

I’m a huge pop music fan and they were my first musical obsession. They were the first band I truly fell in love with. When I was younger, I had dreams where I was a member of One Direction and performing alongside them. I’d wake up thinking it actually happened.

I know it’s probably never going to happen, but if I could open for anyone, it would definitely be One Direction.

Have you ever thought about trying out for American Idol?
Curos: That’s actually funny because I have an audition coming up. It doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll make it onto the show, but the audition process has started. If it works out, that would be incredible.

If the music of Curos was a donut, what kind would it be and why?
Curos: I’d say a mint chocolate donut.

You have the sweetness from the chocolate, but then the mint adds something unexpected. That’s kind of how my music is. Some of my songs are straightforward pop love songs, while others go in completely different directions. So mint chocolate feels like the right combination.

When people look back at your catalog years from now, what do you hope they feel?
Curos: That’s a really good question. I’ve actually removed some of my older songs, but I still have a few tracks online that I wrote and produced when I was thirteen or fourteen.

Looking back, the production isn’t great, but I still think the songwriting is pretty good for someone that age. If people discover those songs years from now, I hope they think they’re sweet and genuine. You can definitely hear the pre-puberty voice in there.

That’s honestly the main reason I haven’t removed them. They’re a snapshot of where I started.

What’s next for you? Any new music on the way?
Curos: Definitely. I’m currently working on another pop track. It’s still in progress, but I’m excited about it.

Outside of music, I’m also focusing on auditions and exploring acting more seriously, so there are a lot of things happening right now.

Do you have any message for those who have been following your journey so far?
Curos: Absolutely. I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who listens to my music, whether they’ve been there for years or just discovered me yesterday.

At the end of the day, artists are only able to do what we do because people choose to listen, share a song, leave a like, or send a message. Every little bit of support means something.

So thank you to everyone who’s been a part of this journey. I truly appreciate it, and I hope I never disappoint the people who support me.

In Conclusion

Whether he’s writing songs in his bedroom, experimenting with theater, auditioning for new opportunities, or connecting with fans one stream at a time, Curos approaches every aspect of his career with enthusiasm and authenticity. His combination of DIY determination, pop sensibilities, and natural charisma has already taken him from local showcases to millions of streams, yet it feels like he’s only beginning to scratch the surface of his potential.

With new music on the horizon and a performance scheduled for the We Found New Music / Highwire Daze showcase at Hotel Ziggy on November 11th, now is the perfect time to keep an eye on Curos. If his rapid rise over the last few years is any indication, the next chapter promises to be an exciting one.

(Interview by Ken Morton – Photos by Scott Waters)

Curos on Instagram