The Musician Who Won't Be Boxed In: Kumar Satyamm's Quest for Artistic Independence And Own Style

Music is a diverse art form with many genres and styles, and one artist who has successfully established his own identity outside of Bollywood is Kumar Satyamm. Born into a family of renowned musicians, Kumar was exposed to Indian classical music from a young age. His father, the late Pandit Lalan Jee Maharaj, was a celebrated singer from the Gokula Gharana of Banaras, while his grandfather, the late Pt. Ramashish Maharaj, was also an eminent singer.

However, Kumar's journey to establish himself as an independent artist was not without its challenges. In a recent interview with Jay-Ho! The Jay Kumar Show, Kumar shared an incident that shaped his approach to music. While practicing a ghazal by Ghulam Ali Sahab, he struggled to sing one of the harkats (musical phrases). His father noticed his difficulty and gave him some invaluable advice. "You should try not to sing like Ghulam Ali Sahab because if you try to imitate him forever in your life, when will you be able to establish your own style and identity?" Kumar recalls. He took his father's words to heart and began to experiment with his own style, which ultimately led to his success as an artist.

Kumar Satyamm's unique approach to blending classical Indian music with contemporary elements has earned him fans across India and beyond. He has collaborated with many legendary and contemporary artists, such as Pankaj Udhas, Anup Jalota, Suresh Wadkar, Richa Sharma, Papon, and more. 

Despite his success, Kumar has yet to make his mark in Bollywood. But he's not worried. He's committed to staying true to his unique style and artistic integrity, and he knows that success will come in due time. As he said in the interview, "I don't need Bollywood to validate my music. I'm happy making music that I love, and if people enjoy it, that's all that matters."