“My name is Hari, and my journey began in the quiet town of Namakkal. I was a school topper in tenth grade and ranked third in my twelfth boards. Naturally, my family believed I was headed for a bright academic future, so they sent me to a hostel for higher studies. What they didn’t expect was how lonely I would feel in that space. Hostel life hit me hard. I found myself overthinking, caught in spirals of silence.

To escape that, I started writing. Little scribbles. Daily observations. Short poems. Words became my way of breathing a little easier.

After school, I pursued Fisheries for my undergraduate degree. Around the same time, I discovered Instagram. It became a digital diary where I began posting my writing, short verses that often felt like haikus. Slowly, people started reading. Some stayed, supported, and shared. That was my first brush with an audience.

Music was always a quiet companion at home. My family, especially my mother adored Ilaiyaraaja. She used to play his melodies all the time, and the lyrics of Vaali sir and Vairamuthu sir unknowingly shaped my sense of rhythm and depth. It was no surprise that one day, a stranger on Instagram messaged me asking if I could write a song for them. I did. That one message led to more. I realised songwriting was not just passion, but also a possible career.

I officially started writing songs in 2019. While I completed my UG and PG, I continued earning through music. Balancing both was tough, but deeply rewarding.

My real turning point came with a paid project. A music director invited me to Chennai for the first time. That trip changed everything. I met people, found opportunities, and experienced the artistic chaos of the city. It felt like a space where every kind of art not just survived, but thrived.

Chennai has a way of embracing you. It doesn’t happen in a grand moment. It happens in small, meaningful ways. Today, I feel like one of the many dreamers who arrived here with hope and found belonging.

To anyone out there trying to find their place — chase the kind of work that brings you joy. If that joy turns into a livelihood, you’ve found your calling. Keep showing up, keep building faith. The sky is yours.”