(For the next two weeks, The Free Press Journal will bring you an innovative series on Unconventional Careers, one unique story everyday. Continue reading to learn more about young people who took chances, braced all odds and used their tenacity to make it big. Priyavrat Singh is the subject of today's tale.)
Priyavrat Singh has proved that it is never too late to shoot for the moon. An IITian who is currently pursuing his career as a singer and producer from Kota, Rajasthan. Let’s learn more about his journey of transition from corporate to hospitality and finally to his dream- the music industry.
We were all born dreamers. But we usually are afraid of leaving everything else to dedicate our whole life trying to reach them. Making a dream come true always comes with a price. Here’s how I am making my own way to create a niche and not following a pre-defined path.
Music: A Youthful Dream
From pursuing Btech at IIT-BHU to working in a US-based company in the US and Gurgaon, music has always been a part of my passion. I performed at various events and won numerous competitions. I've always felt that our passion is what keeps us alive and well in life.
Due to an emergency in the family, I had to move back to my hometown Kota, Rajasthan. I saw great potential there to launch an internationally branded hotel and subsequently left my corporate life behind. And it became the first step towards making my dream come true.
It is never too late to shoot for the moon
The hotel helped me to actualise my dream of releasing a self-composed song. The team of Mardaani (starring Rani Mukherjee) was staying at my hotel and I shared my vision to create a music video with some of the team members. Following which, my first song was released with ZEE Music and it received decent success.
Later, I launched my own YouTube channel to have my identity. My first song received 1 million views in three days. The COVID-19 pandemic was a roadblock and I could not make more songs for some time. Coming up with a music video poses many logistical challenges. You need to find actors, site locations, DOPs, studios, and many more supporting artists. The entire composition and production process is long and demands a lot of industrial knowledge. You need to find big labels in the initial phase of your journey to get an edge.
Whenever I get time off from my hospitality business, I try to listen to singers and notice how they are engaging with the lyrics. Music is how I unwind. Our passions and hobbies save us from getting frustrated. I am making my own way to create a niche and not following a pre-defined path. I am not doing stage performances. Currently, I am working to dub popular songs and release those on my YouTube channel.
My advice for young artists would be to get validation from people from the industry and not just your family and friends. Only believing in yourself to be a good singer does not suffice. Get training, get in touch with resourceful people, and focus on the kind of feedback and validation you receive from various platforms.
There are many ups and downs in this journey. You need to figure out how to navigate your talent to a recognized fraternity. The competition is too high and you need to be persistent. Always have a backup. It becomes difficult to pursue your art without any back-up income.
(If you have an interesting tale of someone who has dared to go against the grain, please email us at fpjournaledu@gmail.com)
