Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Anuraj Bhagat. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Anuraj, thanks for joining us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?
I’m definitely happy as an artist and creative. The key to learning how to be happy was being able to detach myself from the work I do. Just because I didn’t create the best-sounding piece of music on a particular day should not impact how I feel about myself. I am so much more than my ability to make music.
I used to get upset when I would not get work and question my self-worth, after which I would realize that it probably had more to do with how I was going about finding work than my abilities. Everyone can ride a wave; being able to survive a trough is what makes or breaks you. It’s an immense privilege to be an artist since you can use your craft to navigate and deal with all the pain and trauma that life will throw at you. It’s by far the healthiest outlet to channel your energy into.
I used to work in marketing, and ever since quitting my job, I haven’t looked back once because I know that being a creator is an immense privilege.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m a producer and artist from Mumbai, India, currently based in New York City. I started playing guitar at the age of nine and eventually pursued music production in music school. A key tenet of my working style is being a good person to the people I collaborate with. Everyone in this industry is somewhat talented, but being respectful and kind to others always goes a long way.
I would describe myself as a pop producer who excels at creating groove and momentum in songs, but I’m not restricted to just that. I also love working in genres like Indie, Folk, and more. Additionally, I’m a mixing and mastering engineer as well as a guitarist.
One of my proudest achievements is working on ‘Conference of the Birds,’ a musical organized by Teach For India. This musical starred children from underserved areas, and I was the musical composer for it. I always bring professionalism, kindness, humor, and dedication to any project I work on.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I always thought that I had to be the best at something when it came to music, and that resulted in me putting too much undue pressure on myself. I realized that was actually not true—I just had to be myself. Obviously, striving towards greatness is important, and one should never rest on their laurels or be complacent, but above all, authenticity coupled with hard work is rewarded in this industry.
The concept of “the best” doesn’t really exist because what we do is inherently polarizing, and that’s why it’s art.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
The last year has been an extremely tough one. I experienced serious health issues in the middle of my master’s program. Shortly after that I experienced heartbreak. Yet, somehow, I managed to pull everything together, poured everything I had left into my music, graduated, and even won an award at graduation. That achievement meant a great deal to me, and I deeply appreciated all the love, support, and appreciation I received from the people around me during this excruciating period.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://anrjmusic.com/
- Instagram: @anrjofficial
- Twitter: @anrjofficial
Image Credits
Tia Chinai