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For Abhiram Sishtla, juggling competing priorities are simple: It’s all about balance—and it certainly doesn’t hurt if you happen to love all the things you do.
The student juggles a double major in biotechnology and economics at Syracuse University along with a burgeoning musical career. Like most 21-year-olds, Sishtla isn’t exactly sure where he’ll end up in life, but he does know that with hard work, a solid education and a healthy balance, it’ll be somewhere good.
“I’ve always followed the saying work hard play hard,” Sishtla says. “I structure my class schedule to be out of my apartment from 9-3, and then from there I can do homework/study, and then hang out with friends/make music.”
He makes it sound simple and the truth is, for Sishtla it is. The college student/musician is a self-proclaimed “sound maker” who goes by the name HotSamosas—needless to say, his South Asian background plays a huge role in his creative identity.
“I had a pretty normal childhood,” the New York native says. “We have a good-sized Indian community—my mom and dad came here in 1986—here in Syracuse, everyone knows each other and is really supportive. Growing up in a traditional South Indian Hindu household, my parents taught my sister and me great values and we were really engaged in cultural activities and traditions. One of those traditions, Carnatic music, has had a big influence on me when it comes to making music.”
But his cultural background isn’t the only thing that influences this young artist’s music – in fact, he defines himself as a multi-genre artist who refuses to be labeled. He calls Gorilla Warfare Tactic, a New York-based hip-hop trio, his “main musical inspiration.” Above all else, he lets his emotions dictate the directions his music takes. “The feelings I have when I make a sound, those are the feelings I am trying to transfer to you to the best of my abilities,” he says.” I’m trying to make music with a lot of colors, with a lot of emotion. This last project I did was an ode to creativity. To expression. I want people to express themselves, be comfortable with who they are, be happy, and be respectful of other people’s opinions.”
This approach is right in line with Sishtla’s advice to aspiring musicians.
“Be creative. Make a sound that makes you happy. At the end of the day, no one can judge you for being happy. Lyrical content doesn’t have to be about you. It can be about the world around you. Don’t be afraid to share your voice/music, because the reason you have a voice, is for you to use it,” he advises.
Sishtla admits that he isn’t quite sure what career he’ll pursue, but he does admit something that’s somewhat surprising: It won’t have anything to do with music. “I know at the end of the day that in life I don’t want to do music as my full-time job,” he says. “My favorite thing about making music as a hobby and not a profession [is] the feeling of being able to create whenever I want to [and] not being confined to a schedule.”
Between juggling two majors and making music, it wouldn’t seem like Sishtla has time for much else – but as it turns out, he has, even more, interests. “I’m all about hanging out with friends and family, and getting involved on campus whether it is volunteering or extracurricular activities. I’m also big into basketball and tennis, two sports I follow religiously,” he says.
Spending time with family is particularly important to this rising artist – not just because he feels very connected to them, but also because they help his music. “My whole family inspires me. Everybody in my family has been involved in music growing up in some way or another, and really just in life, in general, they make such good role models,” he says.
His family doesn’t just inspire his music, they also support it. “I think when my parents found out I made music; they thought it was pretty cool,” explained Sishtla. “That was a pivotal moment because when I was in high school, I would wait till they left for the grocery store and then whip out the iPad and record songs. Now I could be more free about it.”
He might be extraordinarily motivated and uncommonly capable of achieving balance in his life—but when it comes right down to it, Sishtla is just a normal 21-year-old college student—though he insists he’s not a partier.
“Syracuse is a huge party school,” revealed Sishtla, “but I’m usually the guy looking out for my friends, making sure nothing stupid happens,”
What does Sishtla want going forward? A great job, plenty of time to spend with family and friends and above all, happiness. A call from a certain Bollywood-star-turned-Western-TV-icon might not hurt either.
“My super celebrity crush is Priyanka Chopra,” he says. “She’s amazing at everything. PC get at me!”
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