We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Anannya Bhagwat a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Anannya, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

There are countless things that my parents have “done right” but one thing that stands out is the fact that they told me I could do and be anything.
My parents had (and still have) immense faith in me before I even knew what self-belief was. It’s because of them that I was able to move from a city in India to the United States to pursue my education. It’s because of their relentless belief and faith in me that I was able to pursue my Master’s degree and get a job in one of the worst job markets ever.
One thing that my dad (Baba) taught me is to never react. He’s taught me to listen to understand and not to respond. He’s taught me that the power of non-reaction and the power of silence can make you a stronger individual.
As for my mom (Amma), she taught me the power of positivity and perspective. She’s taught me that everything in life is a decision from your perspective. You can either ask “Why is this happening to me?” and cry about it OR you can ask “What is this trying to teach me?” and learn from it.

If it wasn’t for my parents, I wouldn’t be the self-assured, confident, secure person I am today and this not only reflects in my personal life but also in my work and creativity. They’ve never put me in a box. They never set any limits on me and always taught me to dream bigger than I can even imagine. That’s what they did – and still – do right.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Anannya Bhagwat and I immigrated to the US from India when I was 18. I have been singing for more than 20 years and also had the opportunity to do a Tedx Event in India where I performed some songs along with my band. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=ZHYJh1CBlYM&itct=CAgQpDAYByITCI_7_L2R19MCFVVQqgodQoMBUDIGcmVsbWZ1SPCgzq3Dq-Kt8AE%3D&hl=en&client=mv-google&gl=US)
I am trained in Western Classical music and grew up learning Indian classical music from my mother who often tells me how this is the “best of both worlds” My parents have always pushed me to sing because it’s something that I’ve been blessed with. My first performance was when I was 7 at the school assembly where I sang “Do Rae Mi” from the Sound of Music and I kept winning either first or second place in the English singing competitions at school. I had a YouTube channel for a very long time where I posted covers along with my friends and producers which garnered a good following (www.youtube.com/uhnunyea_a)
However, when I moved to the US, my life changed. I became more introverted and imposter syndrome hit me. I stopped singing for a very long time but eventually, as I became more sure of myself and gained my old self back I started performing more.

Something I’m the most proud of is the life I have created for myself in another country. It’s how I keep surprising myself everyday with different talents and versions of myself. My mission with singing is to transport people into a different world and help them escape their daily problems even if it’s for a couple of minutes. Music to me is like meditation it helps me be present and lets me guide people who listen to me back into the present moment – where the magic happens.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn was people pleasing. Moving to the US and navigating an entirely different world here completely changed my personality. I went from an extrovert to an introvert, from someone who was self-assured to someone who was anxious. And if these past seven years have taught me anything is to stop being a people pleaser!
When I moved here, I started saying yes to things I didn’t want to do, just because I’d have “FOMO” or because someone might “feel bad” and I had to unlearn that.
It wasn’t until the beginning of last year that I really started working on myself fully. I journaled, visualized, meditated, worked out, talked to myself in the mirror, spoke to loved ones, went to therapy, and finally can say that I’m at a point where I’m no longer a people pleaser.
I think being a people pleaser sucks the life out of you. You’re constantly trying to do things you don’t really want to do to please others when in reality the only person you should really please is yourself. Don’t get me wrong, this is different than compromising but when you’re doing most of the bending, it becomes a problem. People pleasing ultimately (IMO) leads to unresolved resentment and things can then get murky. But once you get to a place of understanding that all the feelings in the world that you seek (joy, peace, relief, love) are within you the way you view life completely changes.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

As a UX designer and someone who has also been doing social media as a career for 4 years, my strategy for social media is simple – make authentic, relatable content and give your audience a reason to keep coming back to you. Whether its the way you talk, edit, or make them feel – FIND YOUR WAY and then keep doing it consistently.
Bring something to the table that defies the trends, that doesn’t do things the “normal” way. Be an outlier, dare to be different. Even if someone tells you “don’t do it this way” if you think it’s the right thing to do and you fully believe it will work then – DO IT!
I just started building my social media and I wouldn’t say I’m an expert at it yet but keep experimenting until you find something that sticks and do it to actually connect with people not to gain followers or views but to actually help others. If you use social media to actually connect and inspire – the numbers will follow.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.uhnunnyea.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/in/discochaddi
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anannyabhagwat
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/uhnunyea_a

Image Credits

Taken by family and friends