AI can imitate or build on what already exists, he argues, but it cannot anticipate the lived emotional experience that produces an original piece of art.

“After I write that song, probably AI can write a referential song because it exists.”

But the original feeling?

That still has to come from somewhere human.

Bollywood politics? He's staying out of it

Perhaps more surprising is Benny's approach to the politics and favouritism that inevitably come with a competitive entertainment industry.

“I’m not a part of any of it,” he said.

“I just make sure that I’m placed at something with pure merit and no favouritism, and if somebody is doing better than me, it’s good for them.”

“Everybody has their time.”

And Benny has developed his own amendment to one of life's most overused consolations.

“This too shall pass, but it shall come back again too.”

Careers, songs and popularity, he believes, are cyclical.

“We have no control over anything,” he said. “We only have control over our actions at that very moment.”

Perhaps he has evidence.

Many of Benny’s best-known songs are now more than a decade old, yet audiences continue demanding them.

“The good part? I’m still able to perform them with people demanding me to sing those songs, which is what makes it cool. The recall power is brilliant."

The Abu Dhabi boy comes back

There is an appealing symmetry to Dayal now stepping onto the Coca-Cola Arena stage.

He remembers the artists who have performed there before him and understands exactly what that stage represents.

“For me, the kick is that we’re performing in such a great arena where great artists like Maroon 5 and all international amazing artists have performed,” he said.

“And finally you get to get on that same stage and do your thing and bring the people together.”

Yet Benny won't allow even this moment to become some triumphant declaration that he has made it.

When told he appears to have aced the game, he immediately objected.

“No, I haven’t aced anything.”

“I’m still … working on things. Such a work in progress.”

“Always work in progress. We are all works in progress.”