In our latest interview, we had the pleasure of speaking with Abhishek, a talented musician and a successful UI/UX designer. We dove deep into the world of music, covering everything from the role of AI in music to the impact of social media trends on how we experience sound today.
Bringing Music to Group Trips
Abhishek kicked off the interview by sharing his love for music, especially the guitar. For Abhishek, music is more than just a hobby—it’s a way of life.
“So, if I think about it, whenever I am invited by my group of friends, I am always expected to bring my instrument because it helps elevate their experience of that moment.”
“There are times when they want to sing and have a good time, and I help them have that experience through my music.”
“Although I am not someone who is very outgoing or an extrovert, through my music, I can probably help people have fun.”
“If I am not available for a particular trip, the plan gets postponed just to accommodate me because, without that one person, the trip feels incomplete.”
Whether it’s around a campfire or in a cozy room with friends, his guitar becomes a bridge that connects people, evoking emotions and creating lasting memories.
Unique Personalities of Musicians
Musicians often have distinct personalities, and Abhishek shared his thoughts on how these traits influence their music.
“I think musicians place a lot of importance on emotions—that’s what I feel. They pay a lot of attention to what is soulful.”
“Musicians are very much themselves rather than focused on what’s going on around them. A lot of musicians I have met are introverts, they are listening to themselves instead of listening to the world around them and participating in it.”
“So, it’s about emotions and soul, not so much about practicality and materialism.”
This diversity is what makes music so rich and varied, allowing listeners to find pieces that resonate with their own experiences and emotions.
The Role of AI in Music
“AI is doing a great job. If you have some preferences about content, it shows you only that kind of content.”
“For example, if you check out my Instagram feed, you’ll see a lot of music reels there instead of meaningless stuff. So, whenever you pick up your phone or view something, it kind of motivates you and inspires you, setting the tone for your mood.”
Understanding the Hook Line Concept
Abhishek explained the concept of a “hook line” in popular music, describing it as the catchy part of a song that stays with listeners.
“It’s just to create a catchy rhythm, and that’s it.”
“Considering the amount of stress, we are going through, people want to unwind over the weekend. They want to go to clubs; they don’t want to listen to The Beatles or Pink Floyd.”
The Rise of Local Artists
Local artists have been making waves in the music scene, and Abhishek expressed his admiration for their impact.
“That is, in fact, one of the positives emerging from the facilities we have. It’s because anyone with access to these facilities, like myself, can produce music.”
“Since I have a broadcasting channel, it will reach people, and there will always be someone who likes your work because there are so many different tastes.”
“So, that’s one of the positives that is coming up these days; it’s one of the advantages of technology that local musicians are getting an audience.”
The Influence of Social Media Trends on Music
“Actually, trends have spoiled our choices in life. You are unable to figure out what you genuinely like or the music you connect with.”
“It feels like you belong to another world altogether, and you are the odd one out. I am not a big fan of trends. If you only listen to what everyone else is listening to, then you are considered “happening”; otherwise, you are seen as old school.”
“The trends should un-trend.”
The Role of Music in Enhancing Corporate Life
Music isn’t just for leisure—it can also play a role in enhancing corporate life.
“Being a good listener is one of traits that helps you understand music and helps us handle the pressures of the corporate world better.”
“Being the leader of a particular team, what I need to take care of is that I need to make sure that each resource is performing to his best or full capacity. I also need to ensure that they are happy at work.”
“All those things are going through your mind.
“So, I put on music when working as it helps me focus on one task at a time, it helps streamline all those tasks.”
“It helps declutter the mind.”
How Creativity Enhances Skills as a UI/UX Designer
Abhishek’s creative side doesn’t stop at music; it extends into his professional life as a UI/UX designer.
“I think it is going to be that when it comes to music as well as art, as well as design, there are a lot of intricacies involved. Lot of small details that you need to pick, so while listening to music, or playing music, you need to pay attention to a lot of small details that make it a great piece or that make it a great listening session.”
“Similarly, while you are creating art or designing, you pay a lot of attention to minor details, a lot of other people tend to ignore. That is what makes it a world class design or a world class art piece.”
He explained how creativity is essential in his field, helping him to think outside the box and design user experiences that are both functional and visually appealing.
Exciting Project: HumanTech
Currently, Abhishek is working on an exciting project called HumaneTech, which aims to blend technology and human-centered design to create innovative solutions.
“There’s a very interesting project I’d like to mention. We’ve been working on it lately, and given our discussion on emotional intelligence, this project is particularly relevant. It’s based on the principles of HumaneTech.”
“You’re probably aware of the negative impact social media has had on many people’s mental health. There’s a lot of trolling, hateful comments, and the constant pursuit of more likes, all of which can negatively affect mental well-being.”
“This application, for which we are creating the user experience, aims to foster a social media environment filled with meaningful content—content that has the power to positively influence people’s lives. Users won’t be able to post meaningless or negative comments, and instead of liking posts, they can only express gratitude for what’s been shared.
“Responses can be in the form of a video, a thoughtful message, or even by following a positive trend that someone else has started. Users can create their own videos doing the same and post them as a response to the original content.”
“I truly hope this app becomes successful because the world needs to be a better place, and it needs more apps like this.”
He shared his enthusiasm for this project and its potential to make an impact.
Reflections on Childhood and Its Influence on Creativity
Abhishek reflected on his childhood and how it influenced his creativity.
“If I go back to my childhood, I think I have received all this as a gift, art music, and inclination towards creative stuff.”
“I have it in my genes.”
“My father is a brilliant musician himself, although he did not pursue music professionally, ever, similar story as mine, which I’ll come to later. He has great knowledge of art as well. He understands the intricacies of an art piece. He will look at something, he will get involved in that and he will express his views about that.”
“I have received all this conditioning from him.”
“I have been listening to him. I have been observing how he looks at objects, how he listens to music.”
“My sisters also have those artistic instincts in them.”
“As far as being in the IT industry is concerned, I this it is a very unfortunate story that a lot of people in my generation will relate to. While we were studying, I think, we were given only two options to earn respect in family and in society. Either you had to take up medical stream or non-medical stream. You could not think about taking up art. That was totally socially unacceptable. The only option I had was to take up non-medical because I was a little logical, that comes from my mother side.”
Growing up in a musical family, he was always surrounded by music and creativity, which shaped his passion for both music and design.
The Journey into UI/UX Design
We also talked about Abhishek’s journey into UI/UX design.
I graduated in Computer Science and by education, I am a programmer. So, it is a very pleasant accident that happened, that I turned out to be a designer.
He described how his passion for creating engaging experiences led him to this field, where he could combine his love for technology with his creative instincts.
Professional Path: Designing E-cards
One of his first professional experiences was designing e-cards, which taught him the basics of design and the importance of user experience. This early experience laid the foundation for his career in UI/UX design.
“After my graduation, I joined an entertainment portal, it was a very famous entertainment portal of that time in India and in the world. There used to be e-Cards in the early two thousand, and it was an entertainment portal that offered digital art as wallpapers and you also had the option to send e-Cards to your friends”
“I joined that entertainment portal as a web designer, as a coder who could take care of the portal but later on, during my free time, I started drawing something in Photoshop. People over there saw that, and they figured out that I had the capability of creating digital art which could go on the portal. Then I gradually moved to UI design.”
An Overview of UI/UX and Its Importance
Abhishek gave us an overview of what UI/UX design entails and why it is crucial in today’s digital world.
“So, you have to not give importance to what you are feeling, you have to give importance to what others are feeling along with incorporating all the technicalities of the technology as well.”
“That’s how I became a designer, by accident, fortunately, but yes it was always inside, me and I am glad that I was lucky enough that God guided me into this field.”
He emphasized that good design is not just about aesthetics but also about creating a seamless experience for users.