Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Saahas Patil. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Saahas, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
I’ve been performing with various production companies for a few years now, and the audiences at these events are mostly white and wealthy. I am a performer of color and not American, and it’s interesting to see audiences reactions to me when I’m on stage , because it’s so instantaneous and without filter – unlike conversation, where things can be articulated tactfully. I see a real time reaction of people that don’t look like me trying to process what I’m about, because they’ve never seen someone that looks like me on stage. It’s most often a look of confusion or bewilderment that I’ve become increasingly familiar with.
Initially I was taken aback by this reaction – it made me feel like an outsider. When I used to perform back home in India, things are familiar and people don’t look at you any differently – you are one of them. It took me one very determined performance to understand how to deal with it, and that is to make sure they are left with no doubt about how skilled you are at what you do. It’s now one of my favorite things about performing – to win an confused or unenthusiastic audience over with what I can do.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My name is Saahas and I go by the same stage name. I’m a performer, singer and songwriter and have been doing so professionally since 2011. I’m originally from Bangalore, India where I found my musical roots. In 2015, I packed a suitcase and a guitar and brought a one -way ticket to Los Angeles to pursue and build a career in music, which I’m grateful to have the opportunity to build at a level I couldn’t have imagined when I first started.
I like to relate my art to my tenacity – I’ve been through a lot to build and create a career in music where there was none to be made. I flew 10,000 miles to create my life and I deeply understand and value every opportunity that I get. When times get tough (and they often do), I find solace in the fact that I am in a diverse and accepting city, that has accepted many immigrants and their stories – often successfully. I now understand and am a part of that immigrant DNA.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Tenacity, commitment and discipline.
My advice would embrace your weirdness, to play big and be ready for the intense work you have to put in to make your dreams a reality.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
Maintaining a work-life balance and understanding where I derive my validation from.
When you jump in headfirst into creating your reality, you can get sucked into constantly working towards the goals you set. It can get in the way of building personal relationships with friends and romantic partners.
Therapy and my close friends help me see reality for what it is – I’ve come to realise that it’s very necessary to have a few people, or even one person, that will tell you what things really look like to them from their vantage point. Most often, what you’re thinking isn’t really a reflection of reality. And when that close friend tells you what they think it is, believe them. I am grateful to have a few of those people in my life.
Contact Info:
- Website:www.saahaspatil.com
- Instagram: @saahas1
Image Credits
FlyingBeard Photography
