At 25, Lincoln Joseph Samuel was already a successful doctor with a slew of hobbies, including his lifeline: music. For his parents, he was a miracle. Having learned to navigate the caginess wrought on by Asperger’s syndrome (a form of autism), their son had grown into a kind and considerate human being, fully integrated into the city’s social setting.
Yet, a sense of disillusionment followed Lincoln like a specter through the hospital’s sterile and grey corridors. His heart yearned for something. This became profoundly clear in 2009 when Lincoln, along with a friend who was also a doctor, combined their passion for music and formed the band Once Chosen. They released a two-track EP titled ‘Superliminal’.
Prior to this, Lincoln, a native of Kochi, had only dabbled in gospel music and occasional jam sessions with friends who shared his love for music. However, the process of creating ‘Superliminal’ immersed Lincoln in a world filled with vibrant colours. He longed to belong.
The real plunge into music came in the summer of 2016 when Lincoln compiled all the songs he had written and released his debut album, ‘Wallflower’. In a nod to his medical profession, he also adopted the moniker ‘Doctor Lincoln’.
The album’s success propelled him into the indie music scene. In the years that followed, Lincoln headlined concerts alongside established and up-and-coming artists across India, including Sreenath Bhasi-helmed Crimson Wood, AVORA Records, Polar Lights, and Salman Elahi.
“On one occasion, I had the opportunity to headline a concert alongside Lucky Ali in Rajasthan,” the 39-year-old recalled during an ‘appointment’ at his home studio in Kadavanthra. The studio’s swanky setup emphasised Lincoln’s serious commitment to his chosen path. Music was no longer just a hobby; it had become his work.
On that particular day, Lincoln was finalising the preparations for the release of his latest song, ‘Neeye’, featuring Karthika Vaidyanathan. “It is a deeply personal song. It is about my mother, who meant everything to me,” Lincoln explained. Unfortunately, she recently passed away.
‘Neeye’ serves as his tribute to her. “It was my mother who introduced me to music. I thought it was fitting to give her a song in return,” he added. Like most children who grew up in the ’90s, Lincoln, too, was introduced to western music by his mother, who would occasionally buy him cassettes of artists such as ABBA, Boney M, and Michael Jackson.
“Although my mother didn’t actively listen to them, she recognised them as talented artists and wanted me to experience their songs,” Lincoln reminisced. “She understood how much music healed me. In fact, music is everything to me. These artists introduced me to a whole new world of music that I was previously unaware of.”
Creating ‘Neeye’ also helped Lincoln cope with his loss. “Despite being a doctor and having witnessed final moments of people’s lives, I was the most devastated by my mother’s passing. I was shattered. I turned to music as a means of coping, just like I did as an autistic child,” Lincoln shared.
“Although I had toyed with this song earlier, I had set it aside for various reasons until now. It suddenly struck me as the perfect song to dedicate to my mother, so I pushed to produce it.” The song was released on June 14, his birthday, which he regarded as the day he met his mother.
‘Neeye’ is not a song cocooned in sorrow; instead, it is a celebration of all that Lincoln’s mother was. Karthika’s soothing voice carries an undercurrent of energy and hope. The composition itself is uninhibited, with Lincoln unleashing his creative spirit and enveloping the heartfelt lyrics, penned by Hara Philip, in equally stellar sound.
A pivotal step that facilitated this artistic growth was Lincoln’s decision to leave his medical profession as a cardiothoracic surgeon and pursue music full-time. In November 2021, he traded his comfortable and prestigious job for the uncertainties and challenges of chasing his dream.
Since then, he has been involved in numerous projects. However, 2023 is shaping up to be a breakthrough year for the artist. It will witness the release of his second album, ‘Will See You Now’, scheduled for August, and more.
DID YOU KNOW
Asperger’s syndrome, also known as Asperger’s disorder, is a neurodevelopmental condition that falls on the autism spectrum. It is characterised by difficulties in social interaction, repetitive patterns of behaviour, and intense interests in specific subjects. Individuals with Asperger’s syndrome often have average or above-average intelligence and language skills. However, they may struggle with nonverbal communication, understanding social cues, and forming and maintaining relationships. While Asperger’s syndrome was once recognised as a separate diagnosis, it is now considered a part of autism spectrum disorder.