We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Neil Nayyar a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Neil, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
Staying creative is no easy task, but, to me, it is so worth the effort. To keep me feeling inspired and motivated to create new music, I’m always pushing myself to learn more instruments and new styles of music. So far, I have learned over 100! I even managed to officially secure the world record for the most instruments played. That has been a major boost in my confidence in my own creativity! And sharing my musical creations with people all over the world has been incredibly rewarding as well. It’s definitely something that helps me keep my creativity alive and thriving.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m a typical 17-year-old with dreams of music in my heart. Professionally, I’m working on making my dreams a reality by getting a degree in music composing, and using that skill to create music for films. At the moment, I’m serving as the Music Director for an upcoming feature film called ‘Lottery’, which is proving to be quite the milestone in my professional career. Last month, I composed film score for a Short Film “Beyond The Door” and co-produced music for a song “Pogathey” in a Indian Movie “Dada”.
To add to this, my own album ‘Breaking Barrier’ is all set to release soon too – what makes it so special though is that all 107 musical instruments were recorded acoustically, in just one track! What’s even cooler is that in the 10-minute long piece, different genres are expertly fused together – something I don’t think anyone has ever done before!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Reflecting back on the path that has led me to where I am today, three main qualities stand out that have been impactful for my journey: artistry, confidence, and creativity. Growing up, I had longed for a creative outlet—which is why painting, dance and martial arts were such perfect ways to express myself. Through this creative expression, I also developed a sense of confidence that opened many amazing doors for me. Finally, because of my creative flame and confidence within myself, I was able to sharpen my skills in order to turn creativity into something tangible and useful. All in all, with these three qualities; artistry, confidence, and creativity—my dreams are slowly taking flight! The Best Advice is commit to your goals, have patience and keep your action going.
How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?
I may be considered fortunate in my talent, but every door of opportunity had to be opened and unlocked by hard work. I put in long hours of practice and studious dedication since an early age, and have sought to further broaden my understanding of music from mentors all over the world. All that effort does give me a sort of head-start, but it only goes so far—real progress has been made through honing my skill sets, taking guidance from those who know better than myself and above all else, having a passion for what I’m playing. Call it a labor of love if you will; I’m proud knowing I carved this path for myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://neilnayyar.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neilmusician/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NeilMusician
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC52YfJc7hZFIWNqbraQ3hdQ
Image Credits
https://philippestudiopro.com/ Philippe Studio Pro
