Naalayak (second from right) with his band members after a performance
| Photo Credit: special arrangement
Singer Naalayak’s soundscape is intimate, raw and powerful. His new album Marammat meaning ‘repair’ in Urdu has eight soulful tracks which take listeners on a journey from despair to healing. When we call the singer ‘The marammat man – The repair man’ he bursts out laughing and says, “Marammat is personal for me.”
Recovery through music
Naalayak during a photo shoot
| Photo Credit:
special arrangement
Naalayak had planned to record and release these songs, written a few years ago, in September 2024, but couldn’t due to financial and personal constraints. He was anxious and disturbed as ‘everything was a mess’. “I realised if it doesn’t get corrected in time and life went out of control, no one could repair it for me,” he explains on how he embarked on a journey of healing and recovery through his music.
‘Marammat’ album cover
| Photo Credit:
special arrangement
The heart-felt album’s eight songs capture different emotions that the indie singer experienced during his song writing. Though the songs are his self expression, the lyrics have universal appeal. For instance, the track ‘3 AM Thoughts’ is Naalayak’s “quiet confession” which connected with others too. “I was once having a conversation with someone who said, ‘I have a person in my life who doesn’t talk about his feelings. He is connected to me but does not share his feelings.’ I realised this is what has been happening in my life too.”
While the title track ‘Marammat’ was born when he was recovering after being scammed financially, ‘Gulfaam’ is an emotional song with a slow tempo and ‘Filmy’ breaks the myth that artists have many girlfriends. “This is not true but this perception remains,” he laughs. “When I first heard it, I felt like a filmi character. Everyone looks at me differently. I am confused wondering who I am.”
Versatile artiste
Singing songs that resonate with everyone
| Photo Credit:
special arrangement
Multi-talented Naalayak writes, composes, sings and produces his own songs. Creative pursuits are easy for the 33-year-old singer but ask him to count money and he would be lost, he adds. While songwriting is cathartic and inspired from his feelings and life’s experiences, his secret to writing is conversations with self. “If I read books to write, I would be a ‘copy’ writer. The emotions would not be mine if I have read them somewhere. I like to feel and write a song. If there is something bothering me, I like to talk to myself and it settles down.”
The Chandigarh-based singer is also the founder of a music band that completed a decade in 2025. The band performs only originals and never Bollywood covers. “People told me it would be tough to carry on in the independent music field without singing Bollywood songs. But I was adamant to do it my way.”
Naalayak sings only original songs
| Photo Credit:
special arrangement
Naalayak, his stage name ((Sahil Samuel) is a word he heard often during his childhood. He changed seven schools, did a lot of masti and was not keen on his studies. “My teachers would often say, ‘Yeh kitna naalayak hai’ (he is so worthless)’. I liked the word and continued my journey with it on stage.” Also a pet lover, Naalayak’s house is a mini-zoo with two dogs, cats and parrots. “Pets have healed me; God comes first for me, then pets, music and family in that order.”
He is also excited with his ‘Marammat’ tour across India which began from Delhi and continues with Mumbai (December 11), Pune (December 12), Hyderabad (December 19) and Bangalore (December 20). His musical flow continues for the next two years as Khat, his next EP with three songs, will be out in 2026. Another untitled album is on the cards for 2027. “I plan to take a short break after that if I get a chance.”
Published – December 04, 2025 11:09 am IST
