Becoming a singer was purely serendipitous for Akhil Sahni. The singer-songwriter Sahni started learning the electronic keyboard when he was eight, and later moved to learning classical piano as a ten-year-old—always believed that he would end up becoming a film score or contemporary music composer.
However, while at a live performance, a friend forced Sahni (then 16) to sing on stage. “That is when I was like ‘That’s actually not so bad’,” the musician, who currently shuttles between Delhi, Gurugram and London, says.
After two guitar-based singles—1368 and On My Birthday—Sahni’s latest release, Dream is a song about “being lost in a world of visuals with a loved one”. Talking about this track, Sahni adds, “I am fascinated by dreaming; it is just the most beautiful concept ever. Humans still haven’t understood why we dream and why these amazing stories come to us at night. I wanted to express that through the song.” In this interview, we speak to the 19-year-old artist about his musical influences, how he started songwriting, and more.
Excerpts…
Tell us about your early musical influences. Also, how has it changed now?
My musical influences have always been the same; just more [influences] keep getting added to it. Growing up, one of my first idols was [German film score composer] Hans Zimmer. Then there’s Ed Sheeran, John Mayer, Coldplay, JP Saxe.
Did you transition from singer to songwriter?
I did classical piano my whole life and always thought I would become a film score composer or a contemporary music composer. But, it changed when I was 16 [after the live performance]. Later, I realised that I wanted to sing the songs I make; I don’t want others to sing my stories. I am a self-taught singer; it’s just been about two or three years since I have been singing. I picked up the guitar and started writing a lot of music instead of [composing on] the classical piano. And that journey took its own turn. A songwriter is what I am in my truest sense and that is what I want to be, so it’s amazing that I found that.
1368 and On My Birthday predominantly feature the guitar. How did Dream turn into a piano ballad?
Whenever I would write songs on the piano, I would complicate things. So I made it a vow that I would write on the guitar; I could focus more on the melodies, lyrics, tone, etc. And, the instrumental will be simple because I cannot possibly complicate it, even if I wanted to.
Slowly, over time, I learnt how to make the piano a friend. Dream is that sweet spot that I hit with my first proper piano song. Also, it [making Dream] was just the most beautiful experience ever. It is simple sounding but also has its intricate elements; I think it is my best song till date. You can never go wrong with a piano ballad.
What’s next?
A lot—different languages, styles, stories, productions. There is a Hindi EP—with three to four songs—that I am working on with one of my best friends. I’m unbelievably excited for the future.
‘Dream’ by Akhil Sahni is streaming on all leading platforms.