Yash Kapoor Builds Dark Pop With Cinematic Precision on ‘Secrets In Your Eyes’

There’s a difference between making music and building worlds. Yash Kapoor knows this distinction well. The LA-based producer and artist approaches every track like a film score, layering distorted synths, ambient textures, and hard-hitting drums until they form something that feels both immediate and immersive. His latest release, “Secrets In Your Eyes,” clocking in at 3:49 long, captures that approach perfectly: dark, cinematic pop that doesn’t just play, it pulls you in.

The track explores manipulation and emotional surrender through dense production that balances haunting atmospheres with pop songwriting. Kapoor spent an entire semester at Berklee College of Music perfecting it before its April 2025 release. “It still feels like a time capsule of that phase of my life, and I hear something new in it every time I listen back,” he says. That level of obsessive refinement shows in the finished product. Distorted vocals sit against layered instrumentals, while the accompanying music video uses glitchy, psychedelic visuals that mirror the song’s hypnotic quality.

His approach to production reveals the kind of technical precision that typically requires multiple specialists. As a producer, mixing and mastering engineer, and film scorer, Kapoor handles processes that are usually divided among separate professionals. “I’m big on detail,” he explains. “Sometimes the difference between a good track and a great track is a half-decibel adjustment or one element being muted at the right time.” It’s this attention to micro-level decisions, combined with macro-level vision, that defines his work.

That vision was shaped during his time in professional sessions with producers like DaHeala and DannyBoyStyles, both known for shaping global records. “I was in rooms where the stakes were real and the expectation was not to show potential, but to deliver,” Kapoor recalls. “Sitting there while decisions were being made about sounds, arrangements, and direction at that level, I realized that I wanted to be part of that world permanently.” Those experiences taught him something crucial: talent without consistency means nothing in professional music production.

“Being talented is not enough if you’re not consistent,” he says. “Early on, I would rely on inspiration. If I felt it, I would work. If I didn’t, I would wait. That doesn’t work if you want a real career in music.” He learned to show up daily, treat feedback as part of the process rather than personal criticism, and build his craft through repetition. The shift from waiting for inspiration to treating production as a repeatable discipline changed everything.

His 2024 graduation from Berklee’s Music Production and Engineering program formalized years of technical development, but his creative influences run deeper and more personal. Timbaland, Pharrell, Kanye, the OVO sound, The Weeknd’s early atmospheric work. He paid attention to how records were built, not just what was being said. Moving between cultures also shaped his perspective. “That’s probably why I care so much about making records feel cohesive and intentional,” he says. “The smallest decisions are often the ones listeners feel the most.”

His creative process starts with mood rather than concept. Sometimes it’s a chord progression, sometimes a drum texture, sometimes just a sound that catches his ear. He builds by layering atmospheres, melodic fragments, and rhythmic pockets until the track feels like it’s breathing. Then comes refinement, creating space and shaping the mix so emotions land properly. “I write music from the parts of myself I don’t talk about out loud,” he explains. That emotional core, combined with his technical skill in sound design and engineering, gives his work its distinctive weight.

Right now, Kapoor’s building a production catalog that feels curated rather than scattered, preparing his debut album while working on collaborations he can’t fully discuss yet. The goal remains consistent: create records that feel like they could only come from this moment but still age well. He wants to develop a signature sound while staying versatile, blending cinematic textures with modern R&B and hip-hop structures. His work as a film scorer and visual storyteller feeds directly into this multidisciplinary approach.

When it comes to what makes a record timeless, Kapoor’s answer is direct. “Timelessness comes from intention and emotion,” he says. “A lot of music gets made to chase a trend, but trends die quickly. The records that last are the ones where the artist is really saying something or creating a feeling that people can return to.” He wants to be in rooms with people building future sound rather than just reacting to it. Artists like Travis Scott’s creative team, Noah “40” Shebib, Mike Dean. People who think in terms of cultural impact, not just singles.

That ambition runs through everything, from his detailed studio work to how he approaches collaboration with artists internationally. Music is personal, he says, and being part of that process carries responsibility. “I’m not interested in just releasing music,” Kapoor says. “I want to release moments.” Whether that happens through his own releases or the artists he works with, the goal is the same: build something that lasts.