My top 10 memorable musical moments - Bismil

Inspiration: When I was in the second year of my college, we went to IIT Kanpur for music competitions. At the end of the competitions, there was a performance by Sonu Nigam. I was in the audience looking at him perform on the stage and when he started singing Abhi Mujh Me Kahin, I just broke into tears. The response of the audience was also overwhelming and I started imagining the feeling that he was living at that time and that became all I wanted to do; to stand on a similar stage, perform for an audience and be loved by them. That day my passion for singing was really ignited and I thought that I just have to do whatever it takes to reach that place. I have to create music that people can enjoy and love me for. This was my first big musical moment.

Beginning: I was in the third year of college and started doing live shows in cafes in Hudson Lane. The stage wasn’t that big, but it didn’t matter at the time, as I just wanted to perform. I even got paid for it. I got `300 for my first performance and at that time, it meant a lot to see that I earned something from my music and my voice. It was a big deal for me and it motivated me to push myself further.

Helping hand: At the end of my college, a friend told me there was a guy working with homegrown artists and can help me with my music career. Then my friend gave me Vibhor Hasija’s number, who currently manages my band and me, and is the founder and CEO of Yours Eventfully. I called him and told him I’m a vocalist, do live shows and I wanted to work with him. At that time he had a show at CP, Delhi, and asked me to jam with him before his show, and I happily agreed. I sang Abhi Mujh Me Kahin by Sonu Nigam, as that’s very close to my heart and all the band members were happy with my singing. Vibhor offered to make a band with me and I was really happy that finally I could start my own journey. That moment has always been really precious to me. I was happy I could make a band and start my career. That was my first step in pursuing my musical journey.

Delay: This is about a not so pleasant experience after a show in Kanpur. We were heading back to Delhi from Kanpur station at 5.30am and had a 6am train to catch. After reaching the station, we found out that the train has been delayed by an hour. We waited at the platform for quite some time with heavy instruments and the train platform also changed. So, we hurried up and started moving to the other platform. Then the train got delayed again by another two hours. The platforms kept changing and the train kept getting delayed. We ended up roaming around the entire station with all our instruments for about nine hours, and were dead tired before finally boarding it.

A night to remember: We had a wedding show in Kumbhalgarh Fort, which is the highest point in Udaipur. We were waiting for our performance, scheduled for 11pm, which then got shifted to 12am. It was January, freezing cold and an outdoor venue. The performance time kept being rescheduled and pushed back, but we vowed to go on stage. Then finally, we started at 4am and let me tell you it was really chilly. None of us were able to perform well because of the cold, but the audience enjoyed it and we got a great response. That motivated us to look past the cold and give everything to ensure they have a good time.

Debut song: Another great musical moment of my life was when I launched my first original song Tere Bina with Jannat Zubair. We recorded it in a studio in Mumbai and that feeling of recording your original in a studio is just pure bliss.

Performing live: The feeling of being on stage has always been really heart warming for me. I realised quickly that being on stage and entertaining the audience are all I want to do. I know in my heart I have to give my 100 per cent whenever I am on stage, even on the days when I feel nervous. I always make sure the audience enjoys the quality of music and has a great time. Every performance that I deliver is memorable for me.

Before the band: One major thing I’ll never forget from my initial days is going to cafes and restaurants for solo performances. No guitar or a band setup, just me performing ghazals in the traditional kurta pajama attire with a harmonium. I needed the experience and wanted to connect with people. That’s how I started my journey, with shows like these, and people were very welcoming, always helping me out on how I can make the musical experience better.

Powering on: We had a college show in Guwahati, and it was raining heavily when we reached. Even we were confused whether we’ll be able to perform or not. The college students requested us to perform and said the stage would be covered from the top. So my band mates and I decided to give it a try, despite the grounds being so muddy. The students didn’t care about the mud and that motivated us. I was convinced at that moment that if they can love us so much then we just have to reciprocate and put on a great show for them. To our surprise, the students were dancing in the mud throughout the performance and the rain didn’t bother them at all.

Audiences: What makes music the most special is the audience because we artists only perform and create music just for them. If they like what we do, that makes it memorable and gifts us with moments that stay with us for a lifetime.

Bismil is a singer, composer and performer. 

Visit: Facebook: @ThisIsBismil, Instagram: @bismil.live & www.yourseventfully.com/artist/bismil