Singer Sanjay K on Finding Inspiration by Giving Back to Youth

San Francisco resident Sanjay K., 25, is more than just a singer—he is devoted to making time to craft his artistry as a musician while also giving back to the community by helping young kids stay in touch with music.

[Photo Courtesy: Sanjay K]

San Francisco resident Sanjay K., 25, is more than just a singer—he is devoted to making time to craft his artistry as a musician while also giving back to the community by helping young kids stay in touch with music.

From a very young age, Sanjay knew he wanted to become a musician. He recalled childhood memories that were filled with his curiosity to play many instruments matched by his high energy. “Before I could even walk, I used to bang on the piano keys and my parents’ friends would always tell them I was destined to be a musician,” he said.

As he grew up, and with the help of his vivacious personality, Sanjay realized his love for connecting with other people’s stories of hardship. “I love hearing other people’s stories and emotions, and feeling like I am not alone in my struggle,” the singer explained.“When I realized that certain artistic sensibilities allowed me to feel ideas larger than myself, music became not just a creative outlet, but also an obligation to preserve these impulses and present meaningful issues on a larger stage.”

Though he realized his passion early on, his parents were slightly concerned for his future in the music industry.

“When you tell your parents you want to be the next Michael Jackson, it doesn’t matter what culture they’re from, they will think you’re insane,” he confessed. “I never felt my parents doubted my talent, but they were apprehensive about me entering an industry that no one they knew had ventured into.”

Though prideful of his country, Sanjay is also inspired by musicians such as Michael Jackson, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and Oscar Peterson. He even studied how each of these legendary musicians created their own unique stamp in the world so he could follow in their footsteps and reach new heights of his own.

“I’ve always been proud to be Indian, and I love the music—Bollywood, Carnatic, Hindustani, and more. That being said, my sensibilities fall more into the western pop/jazz category, so I decided to initially focus more on that.”

“When I began to think about forming my own stamp I realized that in order to succeed in this industry, I would have to achieve the same level of brilliance as my heroes and I felt extremely intimidated,” the singer said.

[Photo Courtesy: Sanjay K]

In addition to pursuing his music career, Sanjay has teamed up with his producer to teach audio and video production to underprivileged high school students. “Our goal is to give these kids their own vision and purpose in life, whether it is music related or not,” he explained. “We strive to create a safe space and build a strong community that inspires creativity. Every week, there are collaborative and inspirational moments in which the students present new perspectives that I am able to learn a lot from.”

With all that he has going on, Sanjay wants his musical representation to be as authentic as possible and conveyed in that manner by his audience. “I try to be honest about every step of my artistic process, and I hope my audience will do the same in whichever path they lead.”

As for the future, Sanjay said he has big plans to diversify his artistry when it comes to the multiple genres available. “I hope to write so much music that everyone in the world will have at least one song which speaks to them,” he said.