When Vishal came over to London to study, it was the first time he’d ever been in the UK – or even Europe! He was dedicated to taking the leap for his studies. It was a nerve-wracking experience to jump straight into this new life at university, but Vishal was made to feel welcome from get go.
Vishal was committed to getting to know as many people as possible and one of the first things he did was join the International Students Society, because he felt that there would be a lot of people in the same boat as him. They all met up and learnt about where each other are from, sharing stories about home. This was an amazing gathering, where Vishal made so many new friends and even carried on the social after it finished! Joining a society was the perfect way to help Vishal kick off his social life in London and break the ice.
“It was terrifying at first, but very, very quickly UWL made sure that I felt safe”
Studying in LCM means that Vishal doesn’t shy away from any opportunity to perform and enjoy other students’ performances. He’s made the most of everything the university offers; playing gigs in Freddie’s, Lawrence Hall, local venues and now around the country! Being in such a collaborative environment enabled Vishal to find amazing opportunities through networking with everyone around him. This has included touring with different artists and being a session musician on different recordings. Vishal’s experience is a testament to how far you can go when you utilise every chance given to you.
“I'm going out into the world feeling very comfortable with a good CV, with a good list of things that I've done and skills that I've built up.”
The lecturers in the London College of Music have supported Vishal immensely and helped him to find opportunities to kickstart his career. One of many opportunities has been joining the ESEA, a community for musicians of Asian heritage. By joining the community, which includes incredibly talented and successful artists, Vishal has been able to collaborate with different musicians on projects. One song that recently took off is a collaboration between multiple artists that stemmed from one of ESEA’s writing camps. The song ‘I LUV MY LIFE’ was even featured by the Rolling Stone, in an article you can read here.
“I've gotten so much help in terms of pushing for my career and I'm proud of myself that in these two and a half years I felt like I've done a lot for my career.”
On top of all these opportunities, Vishal is also a student vlogger for UWL; you can watch his videos about all things to do with London life on UWL’s YouTube channel. You can also keep up to date with his music career on his Instagram @vishalchopra111.
All in all, Vishal has been determined to propel into his career and get a head start. It’s clear that his passion is paying off and we can’t wait to see what his future holds!