Do you remember the exact moment you first took music seriously?
Honestly, it started in 11th grade. Before that, I didn’t even want to be a music artist—I genuinely never imagined I’d do anything like this. But one day, in this dimly lit classroom, I wrote “Faketivity,” and that felt like the first real door opening. Looking back, that’s the moment my music journey actually began.
Walk us through that 11th-grade turning point—what made you realize you had real songwriting potential?
A friend reached out to me—let’s call him Big Johann—and asked if I could help with a few lines he’d written. The funny part is, he didn’t send a voice note or even type it out; he sent a WhatsApp photo of a piece of paper with the lyrics on it. I got curious and decided I’d just write a chorus to support what he had. Somewhere in that process, I stumbled onto a melody, and once the melody appeared, the words started demanding more structure. I kept writing, and before I knew it, I wasn’t just helping Johann anymore—I’d basically finished the entire song. That was the moment everything shifted for me, because I realized I could create a tune, build around it, and actually complete something that felt like a real track.
What does juggling engineering studies with writing, recording, and releasing music really look like for you right now?
I’m not going to lie—I don’t have it perfectly balanced yet. I’m 18, and I’m still figuring out what’s realistic with college, deadlines, and everything else. During my first semester, I was writing the song while trying to produce it too, but I eventually reached out to a producer because I didn’t want the release to get stuck halfway. Most days, I’d only give myself around 45 minutes at night to write before sleeping, and the rest of the day was usually studying and hitting the gym. I recorded on weekends—especially when my roommate was out—because that was the only time I could really focus. The music video took even more trial and error, and in second semester I spent a lot of weekends filming and editing, sometimes pushing both the gym and studying aside because I was obsessed with making the visuals feel real.
When someone hits play on a Castle track, what do you want them to feel—and what do you hope they’re listening for?
First, I want them to be impressed—especially with the overall experience, including the visuals. But beyond that, I really want people to pay attention to the lyrics. “Do You Really Love Me?” is built to carry that feeling of emotional uncertainty—the quiet tension between love and doubt. It’s about that headspace where things look fine on the surface, but inside you’re overthinking everything and craving reassurance. The production has a lightness to it, so it doesn’t feel heavy, but there’s still an emotional conflict running underneath. Ideally, the song makes people pause and think about a moment in their own life when they’ve asked the same question, even if they never said it out loud.
Take us back to a live moment that shows you at your strongest—what are we watching here?
This clip is from Vibee Cafe in Kakkanad, Ernakulam, where they were giving people an open opportunity to perform live. I took it as the perfect moment to show what I could do, especially before the actual production of the song even started. It was recorded a few months before the track really began coming to life in the studio. I chose this specific clip because my college friends—who were still pretty new in my life at the time—cheered so loudly right after the performance. That support meant a lot, and it’s a moment I’ll always remember.
When an idea hits, what does your lyric-writing process actually look like in real life?
That image is literally my Notes app on my old Redmi phone—the same one I still use. Whenever a tune pops into my head, I try to document it immediately before it disappears. I’ll jot down lines, rough hooks, and even little rhythm ideas as fast as I can. “Do You Really Love Me?” came together in this exact way. It starts as fragments—one thought, one melody, one phrase—and then I keep coming back to shape it into something that feels like a full song.
Those behind-the-scenes stills from “Do You Really Love Me?” feel cinematic—where were they shot, and what challenge tested you most during the video shoot?
The first shot was taken in Jew Town, the second was in Fort Kochi, and the third was at a friend’s house. We had a bunch of real-world obstacles to deal with—strict hostel curfews for both guys and girls, people backing out at the last minute, and the constant challenge of getting permissions to film in public spaces. The biggest problem, though, was how we planned the shoot at the start. Alan and I thought we could finish everything in one weekend, so we called the whole cast on Saturday and assumed it would run smoothly. It didn’t—people ended up waiting at locations we couldn’t reach in time, and at a couple of places we got kicked out because we didn’t have permission. What fixed it was a “revolutionary” idea (laughing): we started filming one location per day. That way, we only called the people needed for that specific scene, had enough time to get the shots right, and could swap participants more easily if someone couldn’t make it.
What were you trying to capture with the “Do You Really Love Me?” cover art, and how does it connect to the song’s mood?
In the artwork, the figure walking forward represents me—moving toward the person I’m asking that question to. It’s meant to capture that uncomfortable moment where you feel pulled toward someone, but you don’t fully know what they feel back. You’re taking steps, but you’re not sure what you’re stepping into. The floating hearts in the sky symbolize emotion and affection, but also how fragile and unconfirmed those feelings can be. They’re present, but they’re almost weightless—like something you can’t fully hold onto. Overall, it’s not meant to be literal; it’s more like an emotional landscape that sits between reality and imagination, which matches the constant questioning inside the song.
How do you show your range across pop and rap—and what tells you which lane a new idea belongs in?
Most of the time, it comes down to my mood and what I feel like expressing that day. When I’m feeling brash, bold, and driven—like I need to prove something—that’s usually when rap feels natural. It gives me room to speak with more grit and intensity. When I’m leaning into a more vulnerable side, that’s when the ideas start getting more emotional, and the writing becomes softer and more personal (even though I haven’t uploaded much of that side yet). And the pop stuff is often me just wanting to write something that sounds great and feels fun to replay—clean melodies, catchy structure, and a vibe people can instantly connect with.
What does your current music-making setup look like, and what small upgrade has made the biggest difference so far?
My setup is simple and very bare-bones. I don’t have the privilege of building some huge, aesthetic studio, but I’m grateful I have the essentials: a laptop, an XLR cable, an audio interface, a Shure SM57, and a mic stand/tripod thing that has two out of three legs. Soundproofing is the obvious issue, so I do what I can—three pillows and a blanket can actually help more than people think. The biggest difference has been having the audio interface and XLR mic in place, because it immediately made everything sound more serious and usable. One day I’ll look back at this setup and smile, because it’s where I started making things real.
Contact and Follow
Name: Deekshith Dileep
Email: deekshithdileep2007@gmail.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@enterdcastle
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/40YsSfgRTXEblB1SBOZ32r?si=ZtopsylbTOqVpJQ3oLVqDg
Instagram (enterdcastle): https://instagram.com/enterdcastle
Instagram (boss_dk8384): https://instagram.com/boss_dk8384
