Consistency is the key, says Adnan Sami
KNOWN for popular numbers such as Lift Kara De, Noor E Khuda and Bhar Do
Jholi among others, singercomposer Adnan Sami, who has maintained a career of more than three decades, says consistency is the key behind the longevity of his journey in the industry.
Talking about having a long-lasting career, Sami said: “The difference between a ‘one-hit wonder’ and an artist with a successful long career is consistency.”
He added: “Across the globe, artists who manage to achieve the longevity of their journey are those who manage to stick through time creating music constantly. You have the time of the world to make your first music, before putting it out to the world.
“Once you do that and it becomes a hit, you quickly have to follow up with another song, of that level or even better than the earlier one.”
Sami said that one had to have the ability to sustain, and added that handling success was not easy.
The 45-year-old singer is part of the music reality TV show, The Voice, as a coach on Star Plus.
Sami believes that at times people get so overwhelmed by the luxury of success that they lose focus from the core point.
“Whether it is myself, AR Rahman and others who did not come from the reality show format but managed to make our mark in the music industry for a long time is simply because we have continuously worked hard.
“I know that the other side is dark and the core reason behind my fame is my music,” he said.
Sami added that he would continue the process of creation.
Born in London, and having performed on international stages, the Pakistani origin Indian singer has lived an eventful life filled with success as well as emotional turmoil such as losing his father to cancer, dealing with obesity, marriages and divorce.
However, none of these factors affected him.
“Whether it is a live performance, recording a song in the studio or singing before the camera – music is quite therapeutic to me. Therefore I channel all my other negative energy, stress, emotional turmoil if any – into music,” he said.
Sami added: “Perhaps that is why when I do live gigs, in the end, I feel drained. I feel empty for one moment because I have given it all in my performance.”
He said he had gone through different phases of emotions.
“But I somehow manage to switch off from negativity while singing.”