I am currently, as in right this writing moment, sitting in a tiny room in a town called Gulmarg situated in the Indian part of 
Kashmir. I have got hot, running water (which si something to brag about here) and about a half meter to my right is a Bacari 
(not the liquor it is a wood-stove that is used to heat the houses here). I am here for skiing. I bet most of you didn’t really see 
that coming. I have been here for little more than a month actually a month and a half and I will spend another five weeks here 
skiing back-country. I came alone because I felt I needed the space, but I have made a bunch of new friends and I am having 
a great time. What am I thinking I am not beginning from the end that is starting right now. I’ll bring you back.

By the time we decided that we were going to call it quits with the band there were several reasons for it, one strong one for me
personally was that I was tired of aspects of it. Another one was that we would have to sign a completely new contract with the 
record company and it would have been a long process. I am sure you know that all of us have done variously successful solo 
careers afterwards. If you look at how different those turned out you also get an idea of the differing ambitions of the four of us. 
The point is what I wanted at that point was just normal life. So I started studying. That has been going on ever since and as a 
matter of fact this is the year when I graduate. On the 19th of April 2010. I will get my diploma and thereby have earned the right 
to call myself an MBA, with a specialization on Accounting and Management control.

I don’t know if you realize that about me but I don’t do things one at a time. I never did. Throughout A-teens I was always 
reading, finishing up the equivalent of high school and making sure I had back-up plans. Some people said it would make me 
less ambitious, I would say that it is what kept me sane. Don’t get me wrong, you guys, A-teens, touring; all that was amazing 
but it is also a pretty crazy world to deal with and get thrown into when you are 15 years old. Imagine where you were yourself 
and what you did between the years of 15 and 21 (some of you are probably still living those years), point is they shape you. 
What I am trying to say is, everything has a price. This one was definitely worth paying for what I got to experience, no doubt in 
my mind. Regardless, after 6 years I wanted normality so that is what I went for. That lasted for about 6 months and then I 
started writing on my own album. Recording and writing that took about 2 years total before it came out. (It is available online 
worldwide but only in Sweden on hard copy.)

The question is how did it do? Commercially: really badly. That however is actually something that I feel matters less, I am so 
proud of that album. We (me and my two co-producers) worked day and night for two years. We were in big studios with some 
of Sweden’s best musicians, we pressed ourselves to our limits and what came out is something that I am so proud of. 
I wrote all of it. We produced it. I had full control. It was such a relief. If you haven’t heard it and feel like checking it out: 
Songs in a key of mine (The singles were: My elysium, Judge you and Stay). So if you ask me was it a success, I will say 
big capital YES.

It was the greatest learning experience I have had. It taught me one the most important lessons in my life: Money is not 
everything, I am so proud of that album and the way we did it. It gave me a different perspective. One can do things for pure 
enjoyment, just for yourself. As a matter of fact I am in the process of writing another album and will release that on my own 
label as well. I hope to get that done towards the end of this year. We’ll see. There is a lot going on. I made myself one promise
and that is to keep the music as something I love and something that is fun. It takes time to make good music, and to get it 
right is very hard.

So except for studying for my MBA that included a term in Bangalore at IIMB which was highly interesting. I got to go back to 
my roots (my dad is from India) and spend time in the Indian culture and also found many good friends there. I also spent a 
bunch of time skiing (which is what I am doing now), there is something about the back-country that is just something else. 
The freedom, the peace and quite. It gives you an opportunity to soul search that is unprecedented. I cherish that freedom, 
no mountain is too large or difficult if you come prepared and trained. You are still subordinated Nature and you need to keep 
that humility or it will have you. But if you behave, you will get fantastic experiences and no boundaries in the world can hold 
you. That is the freedom that has me skiing in obvious and less obvious places around the world. I’ve been skiing in places like
Greenland, Norway, Canada, India, France, Austria and Sweden. And I’ve been doing some other traveling too, some more 
eccentric like China, India and Mongolia and others just visiting friends in England and the States. In other words I have been 
living very good.

My life right now is focused on making something of myself, build a career if you will. I want to find something that is less 
subjective than music and make that my living. In a way I have put it to myself like “I will get back from India and then life 
begins”. I get that it is partly myopic but that is how I view it. I now have my degree and I will try to put it to use. And I am 
excited to do so. Very excited. I know what you are thinking (best case): “Such a pity we lost him to the ‘other side’”. 
I will counter you on that. Just because I start working will not mean that I will put the music on the shelf. Knowing myself I 
think it would mean the opposite. I will keep writing music and putting it out there. And believe me if there is enough people 
for me to come around and travel, playing shows: I will be there in a heart beat. That is the good thing about me. I don’t do 
things one at a time. I like variation, keeps me on my toes. Plus it is just so boring to be predictable.

So check out my last CD “Songs in a key of mine” if this got you interested. And I will give a big shout when the next 
one gets available to you. I’ll give you a hint as to where I am going; it is still poppy but it will be less polished than 
“Songs in a key of mine”. I think the some of the songs are actually even better though, well in my view at least.

Stay safe. We’ll keep in touch. Thank you most humbly for all that you have given over the years. Us and me. 
Without you guys we would have been nothing.
Eternally grateful.
Formerly known as a commercial pop-star
Yours truly
Amit

Gulmarg, Kashmir, India. 2010-02-19