Yajur Madan

Yajur Madan joined Pathways School Gurgaon in Grade 4, as one of the first students to join the School in its inception year. While in Middle School, Yajur started exploring songwriting and started writing his own songs. He also began learning to play the guitar on YouTube. While graduating through the Middle Years Program at Pathways, he received a global outlook on Music from around the world, under his teacher's guidance. He relocated to Singapore at the age of 15 and further worked towards polishing his skills in music.

A true-blue Ed Sheeran fan, he has been following his milestones and aspires to be a music sensation just like him. Yajur gave a tough fight to Depression while he was in his teen years and strongly feels that penning down his feelings into songs helped him overcome this challenge. Having released his very first album at age 16, which garnered admiration from across the globe, he is on his way to launching his 2nd Album in October 2019.

Yajur Madan Interviewed by Pathways

Q1. Please give us a brief of what you are currently engaged in.

I'm still in high school (Singapore) but am working on music professionally. I'm 17 today and have been trying to balance both my high school life and professional life. I'm currently amidst promo for the first single of my second album set to release later this year! With the first album, it was a learning process in terms of everything but this time round, I am a lot more aware about what I need to do and more importantly, how I need to do it. I'm also undertaking a music production course, a video production course and a songwriting course online in order to gain as much knowledge as I can.

Q2. A note on your childhood. Also, how were your initial years at Pathways School Gurgaon (PSG)?

My initial years at PSG were extremely supportive and nurturing. I have distinct memories from the first few years that I still reminisce about! It was amazing to see friends of mine I met in 2012/2013 and look at where they are now! I feel quite homesick if I speak to any of them from back home, but a lot of them have given me continued support and helped me pick myself up on days I didn't feel like working which is something I will never take for granted.

Q3. You were a self-motivated music enthusiast. What made you choose music over other art forms?

I've grown up in a musical environment. My parents put me in that headspace very early and I'm extremely grateful for that. The music I write and sing is completely different from the music I was taught growing up but till date, I see the influence of the early years in my songs. I'm a massive fan of music and I genuinely believe music has the ability to bring people together and today having seen that in front of me, it's a beautiful feeling and something I cannot wait to experience for the rest of my life!

Q4. When did you launch your first album? How well was it received?

The first album I released was called 'Freckles'. It came out on June 15, 2018. It had 10 songs including Kawaii. The songs are available to listen here - http://yajurpathways.wixsite.com/website

The whole concept of Freckles was that, 'Freckles' are tiny spots on the face and these tiny spots at times are considered attractive and at times considered ugly but the whole album was a way to counter that idea and insist upon the idea of appreciating the little things in each and every individual and relationship.

Q5. How has music helped you with your depression?

Music, more specifically songwriting has helped me express myself and let out what I would hold on to inside. I would watch Jessie J videos and she would always talk about how writing itself was quite therapeutic and that made me want to write songs just about how I feel. Not only did this help ease the 'pain' people associate depression with but also helped me improve my songwriting as I have never really learnt how to write a song. I just wrote! Today, if I feel in any particular way, I can write a song and transfer my emotions into that song. This has definitely helped me gain a sense of control over my emotions and thoughts. I hope to be able to encourage more and more people to write how they feel even if it's not a song as this can definitely help them in a big way.

Q6. You are in the process of launching your second album. Tell us something about it. How does the taste of success feel? Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

The second album is called 'Queen'. The title is not only an homage to the ever -amous band but also is the title track for the album. This album might have a few more than 10 songs. The biggest difference with this album is, its songwriting which I finally feel confident in. Throughout the first album it was an experiment but with this album, I believe a 100% in each and every song. Also while writing this album, I had a moment of realization where I understood that there are far more important things that deserve to be written about than experiences of my life, and since that moment the writing took another level. The themes are more global and hence more relatable such as LGBT, depression, anxiety, uniqueness of emotional unawareness in a relationship etc.

I don't think I'm anywhere close to anything that tastes like success! I'm absolutely grateful and very lucky that I found my passion at 14 and chose to pursue it since that age even though a lot of people told me not to. I'm learning every day and have had the chance to work with some incredible people. I don't think age is any barrier when it comes to pursuing a dream and hopefully more and more high school kids are able to realize that. There's a dream venue in London (Shepherd's Bush Empire) that I hope to play in hopefully less than 5 years!

Q7. You have also been travelling and have been part of various concerts, while launching your first album. Please give us some more details on this.

I've had the pleasure of performing in Singapore and in India along with a few other countries. The whole chapter of the first album was essentially a big experiment due to which all my learnings from that experience are the reason why the second album is what it is today. I'll be performing in London and in the UK for the first time ever which is definitely an experience I'm looking forward to!

Q8. How has your journey been In UWC Singapore so far?

UWC has been a much-needed experience. I was 15 when I came here and in just short of two years, I have a strong sense of who I am and what I represent as an artist. I have certain beliefs and I stand by them no matter what. UWC is why the idea of a second album at 17 seems practical. Living away from home has helped me become independent and taught me how to manage a course like IB with a career in addition to personal, emotional issues every adolescent my age has!

Q9. What special memories do you cherish of your time spent at Pathways?

I cherish the relationships and the sense of home that Pathways gave me for many years. I loved the constant involvement of students into different activities and definitely saw the school grow every single year.

Q10. Your advice to the current class graduating from Pathways?

I don't think I have the right to give any advice simply because I have no doubt in the fact that they are all going to achieve amazing things post school. The only thing I would say is to not be afraid to pursue what you want because there is nothing one can't achieve as long as one's willing to work for it.