Vishesh Malik - Live Your Future In The Present (Content Creator From India)

My artistic inspiration comes from stories. I have a habit of listening to Podcasts or Audiobooks almost everyday when people even outside of the rap field talk about how they went from zero to hundred, I am inspired. The energy transmits in me through headphones and I put the same energy in my tracks.

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

The journey, where should I start? I’m just a normal guy who never wanted to be normal. I always wanted to stand out. I’m from Ludhiana, Punjab. I completed my 10th as well as 12th grade there. I was good in studies but in10th grade I got below-average grades. This happened because I started hanging out with some bad apples at that time.

I knew this was not me, I’m not the below-average guy. If I’m doing something, I usually win then why not in studies? After 10th standard results, they asked me to choose a stream, my grades, teachers, friends, everyone told me to go for ARTS as it was considered easiest when compared to other streams, but guess what I did? Took Medical, toughest of all.

Fast Forward to 2020, I scored almost 90% in my final board exams and that was just the start of Vishesh being The Vishesh. I’ll dedicate this journey to my mindset which I have built over years, the journey started when I lost my dad at age of 14, I did not cry much, all the pain I had in me I started channelizing into work, starting side hustles, making funny videos, building a legit Ecommerce company in 12th standard and even this whole music thing is result of that energy.

If I typically talk about my journey in music, I started in 2020, gained over 80,000 followers, I was getting featured on India’s one of biggest media pages but unfortunately, my account got hacked and it was removed from Instagram. From 80,000 to zero. I have seen the Rock bottom. I started from zero again, after 1 year I have 250,000+ followers on Instagram which will be around 300,000+ when this interview goes out. I am stronger than ever. Journey is crazy, I think I love it more than I love the Destination.

2. How and when did you decide to become a creator? Any interesting story behind this that you would like to share?

I never decided to become a creator, It just happened. I always feel like I never chose this field, this field chose me, so many small miracles landed up to make it all happen. Throwback to 2017, My brother Pranav Nagpal was a Viner (creating short funny videos) I use to help him shoot his videos and do some side roles as well, that phase introduced me to this thing called Instagram content creation and Pranav even told me people are making money through it.

I continued helping Pranav do his thing, from writing scripts to editing videos I started observing him deeply. By 2018 we were able to build a good fanbase on his account of around 50,000 followers and maybe 10-12k subs on YouTube. By that time I and Pranav were fully convinced that this content creation thing is legit and we were so passionate about it that we started investing into cameras, and other equipment, I was in 9th or 10th grade at that time and I use to bunk my tuitions and school for shooting videos, hoping my mother is not reading this, LOL.

We grew our YouTube channel to around 150,000 Subscribers Got our Play button, this was the time when I never thought I will ever get into music because I was fully invested into my medical studies and our funny videos, but by that time, I can surely tell me and Pranav became solid team and were ready to turn into full-time creators.

Long story short something happened and we stopped making those funny videos and after that one day I just recorded a rap sent to Pranav asking should I do this? He said yeah brogo for it! & from that day I explored another version of me “The Rapper”.

3. How and where do you find inspiration to churn out content for your rap?

I get inspired to write raps from legit anything and anybody, I can connect everything with my life so I can write about it. I write about not just my failures and my success but also, I try to learn and fetch content out of other’s failures and other’s success. I try to know myself more. Music is meditation for me, when you meditate you find new things about yourself, maybe some thoughts or emotions that you never spoke about but they are still inside you.

Music helps me to find those emotions and those emotions become my content to write. Yes, sometimes I write things with a business perspective too, thinking about what’s trending and what can go viral, but most of the time my rap topics are just my daily life observations and experiences.

4. Where do you find your artistic inspiration? Who is your favourite creator and why?

My thinking connects with people who have done wonders when I listen to their podcasts, I’m like “I’m just doing the same thing, I think in the very same way” and that confidence inspires me to write and gives me a clear vision. Vision to success. I do not have one favourite creator, I pick positives from every creator and I pay keen attention to their negatives too.

But if I have to name someone it is none other than Russ. He changed my perspective towards life. I read his book “It’s All In Your Head” and I can proudly say I am a different person after reading that book. If you are willing to learn something, listen to Russ’s old songs, he has told blueprints to success, if you are smart enough, you will be able to understand how he went from basement to billboards.

5. What are your upcoming projects?

I am writing this in Aug 2022 and my most viewed video by now is probably around 35 - 40Million views without spending a zero dollar on marketing. By Aug 2023 my plan is to triple everything I have right now, I am viral on Instagram and by Aug 2023, my YouTube will be in good hype.

I am creating 1-2 minutes songs right now, but I am planning to change my approach to making longer proper 3–4-minute songs that are professionally mix mastered. I do not have any upcoming projects in particular but my vision for this music and internet hype is sharp and long-term. Another plan is to post a screenshot of this statement next year and write the caption underneath “I told you I was gonna make it.” ;)

6. How, according to you, can someone become a successful content creator?

There’s not just one thing that can make you win but when it comes to major mistakes what I have seen people making in this field is they lack in Consistency. I know rappers; Artists better than me, even people in my comments say I know someone who raps better than you then how come you are getting this limelight? I stand out even with less talent because my hard work is beating their talent.

I do not get demotivated and leave when I don’t get views. I switch my approach and post again, people think I just know how to make music which is not correct. As a creator, I know how to make music, How to make people listen to it, how to make it go viral and how to make money out of it. As a creator, you have to figure out every aspect of this business.

You cannot just be good in acting, singing, or whatever and hope millions of people will watch you, especially now when competition is too high. As a creator, you are responsible to figure out every aspect of your business. Listen to the right people and you will always be able to find a way. By right people I don’t mean your parents, I mean deeply understanding the mindset of people who have already made it and you just have to do the same thing. It’s that simple.

7. As there’s a lot of work behind posting – writing a rap, singing, editing, etc., can you give us some insight into your life on the scene and behind the scenes and what motivates you to be so consistent with this tedious work?

This hustle is in my nature. If I was not doing music I am sure I would be putting the same amount of effort into something else. I don’t know if it is a good habit or a bad habit but I cannot sit idle. I always have my laptop with me

and I am always working on something. I cannot sleep If I know my work is due, I do a 9 - 5 Job, I have a scholarship in my university because of my good grades which clearly shows I study hard and I am doing music on a good level too. I barely sleep but the hunger in me keeps me awake. I do not believe in motivation anymore, I do not feel motivated working all night and then surviving on 2 hours of sleep all day but I believe in discipline.

I give myself certain tasks everyday that I have to complete and I cannot sleep peacefully if I do not complete them. So, at a certain point of your life, you do not need any motivation you just need discipline because you realise motivation is so temporary. Let me take you through the process of making a song.

Before doing anything else I clear my mind; I try to find the perfect beat or music or anything I can get inspired by, I write my heart out with Rhymes and then record it and then master it. Then I shoot the video, edit it, post it. It’s not as easy as it sounds here. Because all this work is supposed to be done by a Team. But I am my own team doing this all alone balancing my studies and job along. The conclusion is I do not give excuses that I don’t have any team to shoot, write, edit, and for marketing. I am the team; I don’t give up that easily.

8. What is your mantra for success? Any tips for amateurs in this field?

My mantra is very simple and easy. Live your future in the present. Sounds weird? Here, let me simplify this for you. People say they are going to be rich. They will be the best rapper but I say I am rich, I am the best rapper. I am living the future already, and when I say I am the best I behave like the best, I think like the best and what do you think is gonna stop me from becoming the best?

Speak things into existence. Not just music, in any business, say that you will land up to 10 clients this month, give those vibes to the universe, and the universe will respond. Hard work or good Rapping skills is not everything, if you have the attitude of a winner, you already won, now you just have to play the game.

Amateurs in this field should focus on right knowledge. Your knowledge and thinking reflects in your music. People can easily tell you that you are a real music artist or just a wannabe and if you know the right things & you speak the right words you automatically become a real artist with a purpose. That purpose can be anything but your music will make sense to other people.

There’s no need to mention that you should work on your writing and rapping skills but with that work on your mindset. Think how you can separate yourself from the crowd. What makes you special? Or maybe what makes you VISHESH?

Bio-

Hi, my name is Vishesh Malik. I’m really passionate about marketing and music, So I mixed them both and made a career out of it. I come from Ludhiana, Punjab, India. In December 2021 I moved to Canada to find better opportunities.

Interviewed By - Shashank Sehgal