National Youth Day: What Young Musicians Often Misunderstand About Success, Fame, and Patience

National Youth Day: What Young Musicians Often Misunderstand About Success, Fame, and Patience

By Abhijeet Ghoshal, Versatile Playback Singer and Performer

Every generation of musicians believes it is racing against time. Today’s youth is no different. The difference is speed. In the age of reels, streaming numbers, and instant validation, success looks closer than ever before. One song can trend. One performance can travel far. Slowly, a misunderstanding takes shape: if success can be fast, mastery should be too. When you are young and talented, patience often feels like punishment.

Music, however, has never agreed with that idea. Classical music teaches this truth better than anything else. It was never meant for everyone, even in the time of Tansen ji, Baiju Bawra ji, Bhatkhande ji, Tyagaraja ji and other names that shaped the very foundation of Indian classical tradition. It demanded devotion, discipline, and surrender. It still does. That is why not every youngster chooses this path, and that is perfectly fine. Classical music does not chase numbers. It builds depth.

Those of us who sing mainstream or popular music should acknowledge this with humility. If we can even touch a small percentage of classical training honestly, it elevates our music in ways nothing else can. That foundation brings strength, balance, and longevity. Classical music was never about arriving early. It was always about arriving prepared.

When I look back, I remember artists growing quietly alongside us. Purbayan Chatterjee, one of India’s most respected sitar maestros, was shaping his sound with discipline and patience. Pandit Niladri Kumar, the celebrated sitarist known for creating the Zitar, was deeply immersed in his journey while mainstream music was changing rapidly around him. They did not rush recognition. They trusted riyaz. Today, their work speaks for itself.

Artists like Pt. Gaurav Majumdar, Bhagirath Bhatt (both accomplished sitarists),  Pt. Rakesh Chaurasia and Paras Nath (both amazing flautists), and many others continue to carry traditions forward with dignity. In classical circles, it is often said that real recognition begins after the age of forty or forty five. Many of our finest musicians are living proof of this. Their journeys remind us that patience is not the absence of success. Actually it is the foundation of it.

I have seen this discipline up close. Young flautist Parth Shankar- originally from Prayagraj, grew up practising for eight to ten hours every single day, repeating the same phrases again and again. Today, he is among the finest young flautists in the industry, equally powerful in classical and film music. There was no shortcut there. Only consistency.

Riyaz is not glamorous. It is mostly done when nobody is watching. And that is exactly why it works. Work so quietly that your success makes all the noise

This is where many young musicians get confused. Singing for half an hour or one hour a day does not make someone a classical artist. Classical music is a different universe altogether. It demands physical endurance, mental focus, emotional stability, and spiritual commitment. It asks for your time, and then it asks for more.

And yet, I remain deeply optimistic. Today’s youth is extraordinarily talented. Artists like Ankita Nandy, Antara Nandy, Addy, Aishwarya Majumdar, and Anwesha Dutta Gupta, all known for balancing classical training with contemporary performance, represent a rare equilibrium. Many of them write, compose, direct, perform, and still continue their classical practice. Watching them grow fills me with pride.

To me, classical artistry is not just training. It is grace. You become an artist not only through effort, but through blessings. There is a saying that classical music is a river of fire. You must drown in it to cross it. Until you surrender completely, you will never understand its depth.

I also see hope in the digital generation. Young artists like Swayam Sitar, who brings classical instruments into modern visual storytelling, show that discipline and contemporary presentation can coexist. He takes his music seriously. He takes his physical training, visuals, and storytelling seriously. Nothing feels casual. Somewhere, all of this takes time and there is no other way, really. Same goes with Pratik Sarod - who is also my favourite. Parul Mishra and Vishwajeet Borwankar have carved a niche in Bollywood performances, while their reels talk about their Classical prowess.

Yes, there is also a section of youth that loses time endlessly online. But there is another section that is building quietly, honestly, and fearlessly. That section is shaping the future of Indian music.

On this National Youth Day, my message to young musicians is simple. Do not confuse visibility with value. Do not confuse speed with growth. Fame may arrive early, but depth takes time.

If you choose music, choose patience along with it. Let discipline walk alongside ambition. Let devotion coexist with innovation, whether it is classical, mainstream, or newer expressions. Because real success in music is not measured by how quickly you are noticed. It is measured by how long your music stays alive.