Valmiki with his family at his Lakhimpur home

Valmiki, 28, who hails from Lakhimpur in Uttar Pradesh, began singing at the age of seven, accompanying his mother to weddings where she played the dhol with other women. It was she who first sensed his musical talent, playing cassettes on tape recorders for him to learn songs, and helping him practise before the mirror. Soon, he was singing bhajans at jagrans at the Valmiki Mandir. It was also here that he learnt to play a variety of instruments—the tabla, harmonium, flute, keyboard and drums—skills that stood him in good stead later when he took up a job as a music teacher at a local school.

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Officially trained in music for just six months—a dire financial situation forcing him to quit lessons—Valmiki says he has had no gurus. “Those idols at the Mandir turned into my gurus. They taught me to play these instruments that came to my rescue later.” The experience also made him want to in turn impart his musical skills to children who like him couldn’t afford classes. At a small roadside shack, he taught kids for free, while juggling a full-time job, working daily from four in the morning till eight at night. “It was my way of giving back, of showing gratitude for the gift I had been given,”’ says Valmiki with confidence far removed from when he first arrived in Mumbai as contestant and immediately stood out for his reclusive habits and intense demeanour on stage.  

While the 2016 season of the show had brought him close to his goal, its results had made his journey feel incomplete. There was also the question of what to do right after as Mumbai’s fabled struggle for survival lay ahead. While his popularity on the show ensured his participation as a music coach right after on L’il Champs, Indian Idol and Superstar Singer, friends continued to support his stay in the city. He was ironically, grooming winners and instilling in them a sense of the craft. This stoked the desire to win all over again.

But this time around, the experiences are different, he feels. Back in 2016, he recalls being a fresher with little knowledge of chords and harmonies. He also attributes his progress to musician Neeraj Kalkar’s guidance. Moreover, these five years have seen a digital upsurge. While in 2016, the show’s principal audience was the TV-watching older generation, a singer’s popularity now stems from support on social media. “The advantage this time is that the younger generation will also get familiar with us and our work through YouTube and Instagram,” he observes.

For the singer who is a keen admirer of Shankar Mahadevan, who is a judge on the show this season, the goal is to earn respect for his music, even as he hopes to release more singles alongside a playback singing career. My present is infinitely better than my past,” says the singer, who is happy to be able to support his parents financially. “And the hope is that the future will be better than the present.”