Remember to polish and polish before you upload anything for the world to listen or watch. Make sure of what you upload and make sure it’s your best.
1. Tell us more about your background and journey.
I started singing when I was 5 and by the age of 11, I was writing & singing my own songs. Growing up as a kid I always wanted to be a singer, a musician but no one encouraged me to take music as a career option.
Born and brought up in Dimapur, a small town in Nagaland, with no private sectors, every parent expects their children to take up govt. jobs, study medicine or engineering or compete for civil service exams as the career options.
Just to be acceptable in the eyes of my family & the society I studied & finished my Masters from Delhi University in Political science & PG in Tourism Management from IITTM. After my studies, I came back home and started working.
Just to be acceptable in the eyes of my family & the society I studied & finished my Masters from Delhi University in Political science & PG in Tourism Management from IITTM. After my studies, I came back home and started working.
Things looked fine with a decent job, good money, cars & drivers but every night I come back home and was not happy. One night I asked myself is this what I really want to do my whole life? I prayed to God that night and surrendered my dream & life to Him and I quit my job because I realized that I could not do anything without Jesus.
Everyone thought I was foolish to quit such a job and not knowing what to do with my future in music. But I had faith that God will lead me through.
I started working at Dimapur Sumi Baptist church as worship leader for 3 years voluntarily without any salary.
In 2010 I released my first album, 3 days later the album got sold out, I started getting local media attention, then later won some National competition where I got to represent India and National media wrote about me for the first time.
Later got the privilege to compose a Theme song for International Short film festival, that music video got featured on VH1 and in all the leading music channels. The song came up in International top 10 chart and became an instant hit and later got nominated for MTV EMA 2012 and we won “Best Indian Act” at the MTV EMA 2012.
Today I am one of the recipients of Governor’s award 2015 for distinction in music and my contribution to music. I am also the ambassador for Swachh Bharat, Nagaland. In 2015 I performed over 150 shows & 130 shows in 2016, making me one of the highest Indian performers in a year.
Today I am one of the recipients of Governor’s award 2015 for distinction in music and my contribution to music. I am also the ambassador for Swachh Bharat, Nagaland. In 2015 I performed over 150 shows & 130 shows in 2016, making me one of the highest Indian performers in a year.
Today I have one of the biggest music school in the North East called ‘MUSIK-A’, where I teach music. I also do music composition & production for Bollywood & jingles etc.
I am where I am today because of God only, I gave my dreams and life to Him, and He placed me today among the highest through music, where people thought I was hopeless and I can’t do anything out of music.
2. Who is your favourite artist and why?
I grew up listening to a local artiste like Danny Boy, Methanilie, Sashi from Suffering souls etc. wanting to be like them when I grow up. International artistes like Eric Martin (Mr Big), John Schlitt (Petra), Curt Cobain (Nirvana) and Greenday were some of the artists who influenced me while growing up.
During College life, Eminem was the biggest influence, I end up singing his songs, act, walk, dress and talk like him, room, full of his pictures.
Currently, Ed Sheeran is my favourite artiste because of the musicianship, skills and simplicity of his music.
3. Can you throw some light on opportunities one gets as a singer?
If you are nobody or starter, people will not come running to you with opportunities. You need to search, seek and request others and create your own platform. Make the most out of every opportunity whether in school, college, church, festivals etc.
2. Who is your favourite artist and why?
I grew up listening to a local artiste like Danny Boy, Methanilie, Sashi from Suffering souls etc. wanting to be like them when I grow up. International artistes like Eric Martin (Mr Big), John Schlitt (Petra), Curt Cobain (Nirvana) and Greenday were some of the artists who influenced me while growing up.
During College life, Eminem was the biggest influence, I end up singing his songs, act, walk, dress and talk like him, room, full of his pictures.
Currently, Ed Sheeran is my favourite artiste because of the musicianship, skills and simplicity of his music.
3. Can you throw some light on opportunities one gets as a singer?
If you are nobody or starter, people will not come running to you with opportunities. You need to search, seek and request others and create your own platform. Make the most out of every opportunity whether in school, college, church, festivals etc.
Just humble, yourself and approach, request others to give you a shot. Make the most of the INTERNET – We are living in the blessed generation, social media is so powerful that you can explore and make that as your stage for the world to notice you.
But remember to polish and polish before you upload anything for the world to listen or watch. Make sure of what you upload and make sure it’s your best.
4. Which is your favourite book and why?
Bible – You have all the answers and wisdom inside this book
5. Is format training required or can one train themselves purely on the basis of talent?
Formal training will help you grow, sustain and give you more rooms to explore and understand music in a more detailed manner. But yes no doubt the inborn talent is also equally important but there will always be, limitations in a longer period, so music education and training will help you sustain and grow more.
6. What piece of advice would you like to give to future and aspiring artists?
4. Which is your favourite book and why?
Bible – You have all the answers and wisdom inside this book
5. Is format training required or can one train themselves purely on the basis of talent?
Formal training will help you grow, sustain and give you more rooms to explore and understand music in a more detailed manner. But yes no doubt the inborn talent is also equally important but there will always be, limitations in a longer period, so music education and training will help you sustain and grow more.
6. What piece of advice would you like to give to future and aspiring artists?
Be smart, work hard, study the market, be original and stay HUMBLE.
- Alobo Naga (CEO & Director - MUSIK-A, Artist, Composer, Songwriter, Winner of 2012 ‘Best Indian Act’ At MTV European Music Award, Recipient of Governor’s Award for Distinction in Music)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alobonaga
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/alobonaga
Interviewed By Nathan Saul
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