1.Tell us more about your background and journey.
I was born and brought up in Delhi and my schooling was also done from Delhi only. My school life was a bit different from other Delhiites. I went to school till 9th and then left regular schooling because I failed. So 10th and 12th was done through open schooling.
2. When did you first decide you wanted to pursue music and how did you start?
Like other students, I was also not sure what to choose as a career option. So I followed my interest and started in the field of theatre. I have started doing theatre in a Manzil NGO. The objective of this NGO was to provide free classes in every field and it has been situated in Khan Market, Delhi.
So I chose to be a theatre actor and pursued my career in the theatre field. But the time when i entered into the theatre field, that time there was no exposure. So in manzil ngo only i shifted to guitar and by the time my interest was developed in the field of music through guitar.
I have started learning guitar and used to explore the opportunities so that my learning will become stronger. As there is a famous phrase _"practice makes a man perfect"._ i used to practice day and night because of that my knowledge with respect to guitar becomes stronger.
There is also a person who comes in your life and becomes an inspiration to that particular field. So there is one person whom i always adore in life and he is always an inspiration in the field of music.
Pramod Kumar bhaiya is a person who taught me the real meaning of music and gave me the best lessons of guitar because of which it has become clear, what i want to pursue in life and what i have to become.
After a few months I joined the "Manzil Mystics band". This was my first band with whom I got associated with. In this band I have learned alot about the field of music which made my interest in this field become stronger. Later, I started performing with the "Manzil Mystics Band" and explored more.
"To become a successful musician and to become expert in the field of any profession, learning is the main essence". So to enhance my learning in the field of music I have enrolled in the esteemed institution of instrument learning " Delhi School of Music". There I met Gurung Sir who gave me the new path in the field of learning guitar and helped me in making my career in this field.
I have never asked a penny for my fees for guitar class. I used to give tuitions, because I believe that the main thing in this music field is learning and if that stops it does not have any worth. So for that i used to give tuitions so that i can pay my fees for music schools. As it is said that _"hard work and determination pays off"._
After sometime, i started teaching in very renowned institutions like tansen, sangeet Mahavidyalaya, talent connect India, ragaaz and many more. And then I haven't looked back.
Today also i used to give free classes in the Manzil Ngo from where i have got the vision of my life. This is what my gurus taught me that always give something to society in a way of giving knowledge that you have gained.
3. Who is your favourite artist and why?
There are alot of favourite artists because from every artist you learn something new in the field of music and this field is all about exploring and doing creativity in your own forte. But there are some special favorites which I always admire and follow and they are my teachers, Pramod Kumar and Tej Gurung.
I have learned a lot of new skills and real music from these people. They are the purest persons I meant as my guru because they genuinely guided me in every difficulty I faced when I was in my learning stage. So they are my special favourites.
4. Can you throw some light on opportunities one gets as a singer?
According to me, there are a lot of opportunities given to a vocalist like performing live shows, can pursue as a music teacher, open mic performances, house gathering, internet live shows, concerts and many more. There is no count if I talk about the opportunities for a vocalist.
As i have said earlier what is essential is how you explore the opportunities and how much you give time to your practice. Because this is what is required if you want to be successful in the field of music as a vocalist. Be consistent, never give up, and just practice. And automatically the opportunities will knock your doors.
5. Is formal training required or can one train themselves purely on the basis of talent?
Yes, formal training is must if you want to pursue in the field of music. You required formal training. Being talented is also important but to make it more polished, the training is must. Because there are alot of musicians who are doing great in their field and in their forte whether it's vocals or playing any instruments.
You get to learn new things no matter how much you're talented. And what i believe is that being grounded is what is required in this field because here the learning of music will never end.
6. What piece of advice would you like to give to future and aspiring artists?
I just want to say to all those people who want to pursue their career in music. Is to never give up. There will be a lot of people who will criticize you but just have a belief in yourself. Never judge yourself by some others views or judgements. Let them speak, just focus on your dreams and what you want to become.
There is a perfect saying which I personally follow _"getting success will never easy"._ so if you want to be successful so you have to face the failures and have to struggle because this is the only way to know about yourself and to know about your strengths and weaknesses.
The only thing which is required to become a musician is to have a vision, know your interest, practice and just explore.
I personally believe that if a person likes to explore the world and loves to work with new people and wants to have a. Interesting job so becoming a musician is the best option as a career as well.
7. Which is your favourite book and why?
I love to read biographies because some or the other way they motivate us. And get to learn about the struggles of the successful people and how they cope up with their struggle and fulfill their dreams. So sometimes I used to read biographies.
If I talk about my personal favourite biography it's ghalib. I am really fond of writings and shayaris so yeah this is my personal favourite.
- Sahil Khan
Interview By - Anshika Sharma
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