Music composer and singer Akhil Sachdeva has declared that performing live is not just a career choice but a life's calling — one he hopes to pursue until his very last breath. Speaking after the release of Awarapan 2, the Emraan Hashmi-starrer for which he composed 'Piya Ghar Aaya - Homecoming', Sachdeva opened up about his unconventional journey, his creative backlog, and a bold new independent chapter he is launching this month.

A Stage-First Career, Unlike Any Other

Sachdeva's path into the music industry ran in reverse compared to most of his peers. While the conventional route sees artists build a playback catalogue first and then graduate to live performances, he did the opposite — beginning with stage shows and building a loyal following through live concerts across India and abroad.

'I started my life completely opposite to the journey of musicians and singers. They do playback first, become popular and then do stage shows. I started with stage shows and I understood that I was made for the stage and I will die on the stage. It's my dream to have my last breath on stage. I have traveled the world, I have traveled India, and I have become popular in the hearts of people because of my performance,' he said.

A Creative Reservoir Yet to Be Tapped

Sachdeva revealed that what audiences have heard so far represents only a fraction of his output. He acknowledged composing far more than he has released, describing an internal creative pressure that he now feels compelled to address.

'I realised later that I can compose and write songs. I felt the music deeply and the struggle of the artist that I am talking about is that how many songs should I make when I don't even release them. Basically, there is a lot inside that I haven't released yet. People have only seen one side of me and they will see a new side of me,' he said.

Going Independent: YouTube and Original Music

In what he describes as a defining new phase, Sachdeva has announced that he is stepping away from film assignments and live shows — at least for now — to launch an independent music journey on YouTube starting this month. He is clear that this will be on his own creative terms, not dictated by a film's brief.

'I am going to start my independent journey from this month. I am going to start my own journey on YouTube. I don't want to write for a film or according to someone's direction. I want to create a character and present my music. My inner artiste wants to take out what is inside and if I have to take it to the grave then I want to take out my songs so that my voice can be heard by everyone,' he explained.

Stepping Back from Live Shows to Move Forward

Counterintuitively for an artist who built his identity on the stage, Sachdeva has voluntarily paused live performances to focus on this creative reset. He described the decision in almost spiritual terms, suggesting that shedding the pressure of audience expectations has freed him to pursue music rooted in joy.

'It's a new phase that I am entering into and I have stopped myself from doing shows. When you are doing shows you are in a different world. When you get rid of the fear of people then I don't have any fear and I want to do more happy music. I am singing my songs but I want people to support me,' he said.

With Awarapan 2 now in cinemas and an independent digital chapter beginning, Sachdeva appears set to test whether the audience that fell in love with him on stage will follow him into a new creative space entirely of his own making.