Formula Indie Sessions interview with Iman Kumar Mukherjee
Iman Kumar Mukherjee music echoes the last line of hope in a world where hope no longer exists.
For five years, he has endured a never-ending nightmare — still breathing, still here.
Imagine being stabbed and still smiling, the knife still inside. Yet every day, he somehow gets up to create the music he loves.
With only 10% of the recommended daily allowance for key nutrients and many others at 0%, his organs are failing due to lack of fuel — and still, he holds on.
How? Through his will to live, his discipline, his inner focus, and his love for music.
1.What is your earliest memory connected to music?
Ans: When I was 4 years old my mother started teaching me basics of music using harmonium (An Indian musical Instrument). I still remember vividly how she used to teach me playing rabindrasangeet(one of the oldest Indian musical genre) songs on harmonium and sing along with it.
2.How did your passion for creating music begin?
Ans: I always had passion for creating music from my childhood years. I used to play random melodies on my harmonium. So just wrote the notes and chords down on my personal musical diary. But never got to act on them because I didn’t have the gear to make a full fledged song back in that time. But things changed when I got my hands on some free DAWs in 2013. Mainly LMMs, later down the line reaper, ableton lite free, cakewalk free. Fl studio demo.
3.What’s the story behind your current music project?
Ans: Life hasn’t been kind to me. I used to be a singer as well alongside being a Composer, Multi-instrumentalist, Songwriter and Producer. Life took away my voice due to constant allergic issues which later turned out pharyngitis and rhinosinusitis.Life hasn’t stopped there. I had constant health issues which never got diagnosed until 2020 when it was already too late. Found out I am diagnosed with multiple extremely rare disorders which turned into terminal diseases. I would have been only working a day job and kept music as a hobby untill I was diagnosed. Things changed, I got bedridden after that. My music is only thing I have left in my life. Doctors predicted my end by 2021, but I am still alive. Organs failing but against the all odds still alive due to mental strength thanks to my music. That’s another reason why I mostly create uplifting songs and sometimes dark songs explaining my life story through my music.
4.How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
And: My music gives you hope with a dark story in it.
5.What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
Ans: Studying the market. I stopped making uplifting trance songs because hardly no one was interested in supporting them. Music industry is harsh. You gotta try to adapt while being the original Iman to survive in the industry.
6.What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
Ans: DAW- Fl Studio
Midi Keyboard- My daily driver. I record drums, melodies, chords, automations everything through my trusted Arturia Keylab Essentials MK3.
Interface – Arturia Minifuse 1
Monitors- Kali LP6 V2
7.Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
Ans: I hope it’s not too egoistic to call Iman Kumar Mukherjee. I am my biggest fan. And I think it should be the way to go for any indie artist. Everyone should respect and show love to the music they create.
8.How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
Ans: I used to seek validation from other popular producers a lot in my early stages in 2020-2022. Because I used to be insecure of my music. From what I understood many will try to feed on that exact insecurity. Many will try to demean you for the song you make despite it reaching the exact vision you aimed for. Validation from other big producers is cool. But don’t depend on it. Be original, be yourself, don’t be copy paste of any other artist. If you lack originality, you will stay relevant for a while, but you will disappear once the trend goes away.
8.What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
Ans: Never Give up, Mental Strength, Discipline, Self Analysis. Be realist, never have unrealistic expectations. World is harsh, so you don’t need to make it tougher on you. Believe in yourself and create things you are passionate about.
9.What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
Ans: Actual people who loves music truly from inside are rare these days. Most now do it for trends and look cool on social media. They don’t even like the music they use on their reels. Just do it because it’s trending.
10.What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
Ans: I do have a dream on performing on all major festivals like Dreamstate, Tomorrowland, ADE, EDC, Coachela. But due to my current life situation, It will probably remain a dream.
11. If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Ans: I personally would have loved to collaborate with Avicii. We had some similarities and I love his work. We both focus on song through composition and telling a story.
12.Where can our listeners follow and support your music?
Ans: My Bio Link- https://www.submithub.com/link/iman-kumar-mukherjee
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/3HsfNau8cvzBtHkkDJfCP8
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/imankrmukherjee
Bandcamp – https://imankumarmukherjee.bandcamp.com/
Other Links- You can find links on my bio link
YouTube –
https://youtube.com/@imankumarmukherjee
13.Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
Ans: My dream is that my music reaches more listeners worldwide and I can continue to inspire many other people through my music.
14.What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
Ans: I am not only a music creator, I am also their motivator and my music is a part of me.
