Bollywood Hungama

Adnan Sami recalls early music days: If Kishore Kumar and Rafi Sahab could sing my music, it would be so great!

Komal Nahta, one of Indias prominent trade analysts, has returned with a new season of his podcast Game Changers: The Music Series, which features conversations with singers, composers and musicians about their journeys, influences and experiences in the music industry. The latest episode featured musician Adnan Sami, who reflected on his early years in music and how his identity as a pianist gradually expanded to include singing. Speaking about whether he considers himself a musician or a pianist, Adnan Sami said that he has always primarily viewed himself as a pianist. He recalled developing an interest in music at a young age and beginning his journey with the instrument when he was five. Adnan said, I consider myself a pianist first. I always had a dream, since childhood, to be a pianist and a music composer. I started playing the piano at the age of five, and by the age of seven, I had composed my first piece of music. At the age of 15, I started making music and demos. I used to think, If Kishore Kumar and Rafi Sahab could sing my music, it would be so great. After a while, people started saying that the music sounded good in my voice. I never took it seriously, but when more people, apart from my parents, started complimenting me, especially my cousins, I started believing it. Adnan further explained that his transition into singing was initially driven by circumstance rather than a deliberate decision to pursue another musical identity. He said that he began lending his voice to his own compositions because he could not find other singers willing to record them. I started singing my songs because no one else wanted to sing them. Necessity is the mother of invention. In the beginning, when people introduced me as a singer; I felt weird, as I still considered myself a pianist. Then, with time, I got used to it, he added. Over the course of his career, Adnan Sami has established himself as a pianist, composer and singer, with his work spanning Indian film music and independent music. His conversation with Komal Nahta offers insight into the early stages of that journey and the circumstances that shaped his eventual career as a singer. Game Changers: The Music Series features conversations with personalities from the Indian music industry, exploring their creative processes, influences and career experiences. The latest episode featuring Adnan Sami is available on the YouTube channel for Game Changers: The Music Series. Also Read: Adnan Sami opens up about reinventing in music: Its always important to keep changing and evolving