Don't give up..The best is yet to come

Unless your born into a musicians family, becoming an artist is almost always a conscious choice..a choice a person makes on their own...not dictated by others opinions but fuelled by sheer passion.

If you're an artist, it's great that you made that choice for yourself. But as you live your life you'll realise, it's often hard up to stand up for your own choices.When money is running dry and success seems miles away and people ask you questions like "So what do you actually do?" " Whats your real job?" "What do you do all day?" "What do you really want to do with your life?"

Yes..difficult questions to answer..but don't let them fluster you. There are many people that are simply unaware of what it takes to be an artist and ask out of ignorance, not necessarily to put you down. Many people that ask you , probably secretly envy you for the courageous step you have taken; something that they might not take the risk of doing for fear of stepping out of their comfort zone.

You are brave to have made this choice.

Yes, there will be times when you question whether all the effort and hard work is worth it..whether you should've listened to your parents after all and just taken up that cushy job where at least you're assured a decent salary.There will be times when you'll doubt yourself..there will be times when you will cry .. there will be many times when you will fail.

What should you do in these times?

Beleive..Have faith..unshakeable faith in yourself and your abilities. It is your own faith that will drive you forward..no-one elses. 

Use criticism as fuel to drive you to do better, work harder.

Define your goals..Keep them in front of your eyes each day..and repeat them to yourself.

Close your eyes and imagine you're already where you want to be and feel those feelings of sheer happiness, elation and joy. Work out of happiness..not for happiness.Don't let failures make you a cynic.

I've been working as an artist for 7 years and started tasting success only 2 years ago. I still have a long long way to go to make a mark..lots of more to work to do to improve my skill, reach greater heights. Like any other career , it does take time..Be patient.

Grammy winning artist Ricky Kej said something really valid in my interview with him."Don't let creativity be an excuse for laziness". Many artists think that being an musician means you just play a few gigs and a bit of practice and the rest will come to you. Wrong. You need to practice everyday, meet people, create opportunities, keep your ears open for whats happening on the circuit, record , release, market..Whew!Yes it's a full time job.

If you're not where you are in your career just yet..hold on. Maybe someone denied you a gig, but there are 10 others that won't , you just need to find these people.They may be in other cities..think big, expand your boundaries. This is a country of more than a billion people with varied musical tastes.Someone ,somewhere WILL like your music and will give you a chance to play.

Don't give up just yet..because the best is yet to come!

Free Hugs: The story behind what inspired my song

In mid 2007, my work with an I.T. firm took me to the city of Seattle, USA.This is a city that has been home to some of the greatest music acts the world has ever known. From bands like Nirvana that introduced the world to grunge music to alternative acts like Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and more recently Macklemore & Ryan Lewis—Seattle is a city that has inspired many a musician. Here I was, a fledgling singer, wide-eyed and excited, scouring the city for my next musical inspiration. I had chosen to live in the city and not in the suburbs like most of my other Indian co-workers, because I felt the city was more alive… with street performers at every corner, a buzzing nightlife and vibrant markets.

One evening as I was walking home after work, I noticed an old man sitting by himself. Bright balloons and a teddy bear, surrounded him and he held a cardboard sign. I squinted and read the colourful letters aloud  “Free Hugs.” ‘Free Hugs’? How does that work? Intrigued, I went up to the old man and initiated a conversation.

“Hi there! What’s ‘Free Hugs’? What are you doing this for?” I asked.

“ Hello young lady! I give free hugs to whoever wants one. I’m just an old man who wants to spread a little love and sunshine in this world. The world is a dark place, it needs more people that care… I come here everyday at this time.”

“That’s such a beautiful thing to do! How long have you been doing this?”

“Oh for many years now! After my children left, I’ve led a lonely life. I know there are a lot of other lonely people in the world as well who could use a hug. Sometimes people have had a bad day and there’s no one to go to. It’s the least I can do to help people break the walls that surround them and reach out to one another.”

“And you don’t get paid for this I guess?”

“Only in smiles,” he said with a toothy grin.

With a smile, I extended my arms out for a hug. It was a nice, warm friendly hug in the middle of a crowded street. I felt pure joy at being a part of this simple act of kindness from a  stranger. In this world where money and time are a priority, here was someone whose only agenda was to spread sunshine.

There was a Starbucks nearby and I hopped over to buy both of us a coffee. The least I could do on that cold day was warm the hands of the man who had spent most of his life warming so many hearts.

   

I was so inspired by this man and his story, that I wrote a blues song, “Free Hugs” that made it to my debut album. Here’s what it went like…

https://soundcloud.com/pragnya-wakhlu/free-hugs-22nd-nov?in=pragnya-wakhlu/sets/journey-to-the-sun

 

Free Hugs

Alone I stand on the corner street,

Expressionless passing eyes,

I bare my heart and soul to you,

I'm wearing no disguise..no!

Won't ask you any questions,

Won't offer you no advice,

My heart is open to anyone,

This is real, no device..no device.

Free hugs, nothing in return…

You may be brown, black or white…

Where it's dark and some hearts burn,

Let’s all spread a little light.

Did your old man leave you?

A broken heart to mend?

Do you need a shoulder to cry on ?

Or the comfort of a friend?

I ask not where you come from,

I ask not where you go,

The glimmer of sadness in your eyes,

Speaks all there is to know…

Free hugs, nothing in return…

You may be brown, black or white…

Where it's dark and some hearts burn,

Let’s all spread a little light.

The frowns turn upside down,

The teardrops disappear,

As your hand reaches out for mine,

The dark skies start to clear.

Our hearts heal together,

Shadows creep away,

Heaven's arms are open,

The dark lord starts to fray...

Free hugs, nothing in return…

You may be brown, black or white…

Where it's dark and some hearts burn,

Let’s all spread a little light.

The story didn’t end there. On returning to India a year later, some friends and I organised a Free Hugs campaign in Pune, the city I lived in at that point. This was post the Mumbai terror attacks and it was our way of passing forward the message of love and hope.

It’s been over 5 years since I met the old man from Seattle and yet, every time I sing my song  “Free Hugs” on stage, I see his face with that toothy grin, holding the old cardboard sign endearingly asking, “ A free hug for you today sir?”

**Note: Article first written for and published by Happy Tripping ( I am a guest writer with them). Read the article on the Happy tripping website here