Anurag Kumar - Some Form of Training Either Self or From a Guru or Teacher Is Required (Musician)

I started my musical journey when I was in 3rd grade, watching my brother play the harmonium in the school assembly. I used to initially perform as a backing instrumentalist in a school band and outside. Few years of stage experience and by the time I was 16, I was managing all the cultural activities in school and performing as the lead singer and guitarist of the band

Tell us about your background and journey.

I am a Delhi guy who loves to fulfill his passion even if I have to give in my last effort of the day to it. Managing my music along with my full time job, I have my own YouTube Channel by the name AnuragKumar AK where I upload covers, live performances and recently started to vlog. Instagram is all about my short, raw covers which goes by the name anuragkumarmusic. 

The journey has been full of ups and downs. From getting to be known by my brother's name to making a mark of my own. From being mocked at to perform live in front of an auditorium full of people and taking over the stage all by myself. There were times in school when my fellows made fun of whatever I did, be it giving a try on a YouTube video, about which by that time I had no idea how to grow and what YouTube was actually about. 

I was just a teen kid wanting to be popular and showcase my talent. I literally gave up once when the demotivation and the mocking reached a level where I wasn't able to stand it. 

Looking back at that time I think what if I actually had given up for good? Well that thought still shocks me. One thing I learnt in this short, musical and roller coaster journey is that people will always pull you down no matter you fail or succeed, you do good or bad, you underachieve or overachieve. 

Only a few and I mean handful of people will be there supporting you at each step of life. Cherish them and the moments. Relive the times you failed maybe performing live on stage or in exams or anywhere in life, relive and learn.

When did you first decide you wanted to pursue music and how did you start?

So I started my musical journey when I was in 3rd grade, watching my brother play harmonium in school assembly. Haha true story. I was just walking in his footsteps, from learning from the same teacher to sing with the same music group to even learning to play guitar only because he was learning it too! Not that I wasn't into music, I totally was but he was the one paving the path for me. 

I started learning classical in school itself and got myself trained for a year. Guitar and bollywood came in when I was 14. I used to initially perform as a backing instrumentalist in a school band and outside. Few years of stage experience and by the time I was 16, I was managing all the cultural activities in school and performing as the lead singer and guitarist of the band.

Who is your favourite artist and why?

My favourite artists have been many. I keep learning from one or the other. If you ask me one? I'll say Darshan Raval. I started following him since his RawStar days and what inspires me the most is his journey and growth. 

His growth has been phenomenal and one thing that still helps me to create content is that it's not the win that's important but your growth in whatever you do and if you do it for the people, they should truly love your work.

Can you throw some light on opportunities one gets as a musician ?

It depends on how you are expanding. I started out just to fulfill the love I had for music. I wasn't growth centric at that time. It's been around a year since I have started planning stuff and researching on the net how one can grow. Pre pandemic getting live shows were comparatively easier. 

I myself performed at various cafes and events and earned a considerable amount. If you plan to take this up as a career option you need to invest initially. From good mic to good sound card and noise-cancelling padding. Setting up a home studio isn't difficult and saves cost in the long run. Recording studios can easily charge an amount where you can invest that to set up a studio yourself. Also, distributing music isn't difficult at all now. 

There are music distribution websites like distrokid, tunecore etc, which charge you for distributing your music over spotify, apple music, youtube music and various other platforms. But yes you need to invest.

Is format training required or can one train themselves purely on the basis of talent?

I'll say I have a mixed answer to this. I haven't gone through proper training in singing. I have always been part of music groups and just 1 year of classical training at a very young age. Also, purely on a talent basis won't help you grow or try things you didn't even know. Some form of training either self or from a guru or teacher is required. 

Just having the skill to sing and no one to guide you won't help you achieve the best version of what you can be. I am still learning. I am learning everyday. Be it singing or editing my videos or tuning my vocals or even different riffs and rhythms on guitar. Learning should never stop.

What piece of advice would you like to give to future and aspiring artists?

Well, me being of the same age as many upcoming artists I don't know whether I am the right person to give some advice. All I can do is share my journey and try to motivate people around me to achieve something in any field they want to. 

People will bring you down, there will be days of demotivation, disheartening attempts and failures. YOU'VE GOT TO FIGHT BACK. You need to work on being better than yesterday. I won't say be a saint, don't get jealous of other's success because it's natural, it happens with me as well but channel that energy and feeling to make yourself better rather than giving up on things. 

You never know when the time is right for you and when your attempt and hard work strikes the right chord with the world. JUST KEEP GOING.

Interviewed by - Saba Parveen