A Legend in the Making

The world doesn’t know it yet, but a legend is in the making.

I believe these words. I believe in myself. And I’m glad to know that the people around me are so confident in me that they believe I can make it.

This surge of confidence usually comes after writing a song and pouring my heart into it—or knowing that the people close to me believe in me and see something in me. It’s a great feeling.

I know there is a reason I am documenting my journey. No one told me to. It may seem delusional to even me today, but I will be where I want to be—because that is who I am.

Well, as time passes, I’ve come to realize that I truly love songwriting and composing. It fascinates me. I love the process, and I know I can go to great lengths for it.

Today, I wrote what I believe is my 43rd song.

I am preparing for this year—building my portfolio to perfection, to the point where I can confidently say, This is who the real Shiva Mishra is. A perfectionist in his work. I have to apply all my core values to this craft—only then will it work.

I haven’t been this sure of myself in previous years, but I am now. I have to be. There is no other option.

It’s time to shine.

Lost and Found

I realized that in the process of trying to make a name for myself in the industry, I lost sight of why I started in the first place—why I love music, why it makes me feel restless without it.

With the craze around social media, I found myself focusing only on views, on what appeals to the public, or what the platform demands to grow. And in that race, I completely forgot the sukoon that music brings.

Some people do manage to balance it all—they showcase their talents as content creators and amazing musicians. But for me, it’s a little challenging. Doing everything alone can sometimes feel so aaaaghhhh frustrating, and it makes it hard to focus entirely on the music.

Now, these might just sound like excuses—hehe.

But keeping all that in mind, I know I need to stay disciplined and fully commit to my music.

It’s my Turn

My New Year started with a surprise—a sudden singing event came my way just as I was heading home from my music class.

2024 was a year of beginnings for me. It’s when I started learning music, discovered my forever love, and wrote songs inspired by her. The only two things I’ve ever truly wanted in life are music and love.

Now, in 2025, I’m expecting more from myself—a step forward in my career. I’m looking at music releases, live shows, and creating something meaningful, something that people notice me.

This is the third year I’ve told myself, This is the year I’ll do it.

(You don’t know my “third time theory.”)

As I say goodbye to 2024, I’m grateful for everything it gave me. Now, it’s time to embark on a new adventure and focus on establishing myself in the music industry.

This is the year I’ll do it.

The Curse of the 2nd - Part 2

This year, I came second in:

• An artist’s pen-mic event.

• A solo singing college event.

• A singing competition at the radio.

• Swarsangam college event.

• And a few more….

• (Class 4 football tournament)

It’s a pattern I’ve noticed for a while now—I always seem to land in second place. No matter the competition, it’s like I’m always just one step away from the top. For a long time, I jokingly called it “The Curse of 2nd “.

It’s frustrating. Being so close and still falling short can mess with your head sometimes.You start questioning yourself: What am I doing wrong? Am I just not good enough? But lately, I’ve started to think about it differently.

Coming second isn’t a curse—it’s progress. A year ago, I wasn’t even close to placing. Now, I’m consistently at the top, just one spot away. That’s improvement, and that’s what matters.

I believe the first prize is waiting for me somewhere bigger, somewhere that truly matches what I’ve been working for. Maybe it’ll happen in 2025. When it does, I know it’ll be worth every step of this journey.

So now, instead of letting second place get me down, I’m using it as fuel. It’s a reminder that I’m moving forward. And when I finally break through, I’ll know I’ve earned it.

It’s not a curse—it’s my story.

The Curse of the 2nd - Part 1

From the time I can remember, I usually came first in the things I participated in, except for studies. It was more like a wave pattern across increasing standards. Let’s not go there.

I have participated in various singing competitions since childhood. I got a gold in the first standard. I was the 5th runner-up in a duo singing competition in class 5 or 6. My solo performance that day was terrible—I changed the song just seconds before stepping on stage.

In 11th, I won a gold award in a duo singing competition for a self-composed and written song. I also performed a qawwali at the annual function with four fellow singers.

After that, as far back as I can remember, I have participated in a dozen competitions. I either failed, usually in the beginning, or kept coming second, second, and second. It’s been a while now since I’ve been coming second.

The Age of Competition

Over the past 6-7 months, a lot has changed in my life. I dropped the Chartered Accountancy course and finally started learning music from The Ghulam Hasan Khan of the Rampur-Sahaswan Gharana.

Since then, I’ve participated in every competition I could find—whether it was at the national level or just a small society program. I’ve had my share of wins and rejections, and I’ve even come across reality shows that asked for money after selecting me. This December alone, I’ve traveled three times for auditions and competitions.

The thing is, I feel like I don’t have anything solid to hold onto—nothing that reassures me or motivates me enough to keep going.

At 21, there’s so much competition, and being the son in the family adds even more pressure. I know I need to start earning and standing on my own feet as soon as possible.

It does not mean I’ll give up.

NO-NEVER

Jashn-e-Rekhta

It was my first time seeing celebrities with my own eyes at an event.(15th dec 2024)

Jashn-e-Rekhta, a three-day festival celebrating the Urdu language, brings together pioneers of Urdu literature, film stars, poets, and singers to share their talents and interact with the audience.

I saw Javed Akhtar saheb, and the moment I laid eyes on him, it hit me—celebrities do exist beyond the screen.

I also got to see Ustad Arshad Khan, the renowned esraj player, performing on the Mehfil Khana stage. Since I’ve always been fond of the esraj, it was heartwarming to watch him play live.

As the day went on and one celebrity after another graced the stage, there came a moment when I couldn’t focus on them anymore—because all I could think about was being up there myself. The feeling was overwhelming: 

Why not me?

I took a deep breath, calmed myself, and told myself: 

The next one is mine.