Doctor Lincoln | Photo Credit: Special Arrangements
Surgeons and musicians have more in common than you might think. For example, both must rely on imagination and creativity. “It’s not the same every day – the challenge is different, surgeons have to improvise and be creative, just like musicians create their own repertoire,” says Dr. Lincoln Samuel, a surgeon-turned-songwriter from Kochi.
After fixing the liver as a senior specialist in Pediatric Cardiothoracic surgery (he has worked in various hospitals including Aster Medcity, Kochi), Dr. Lincoln decided to do it himself. He released his debut album Cliff flower in 2016 to rave reviews. It confirms everything he always believed in. “When I heard I was playing the guitar and singing alone in my dorm room in my youth, I knew I could make a profession out of music,” he said. After 20 years, he is busy performing various shows across the country and collaborating with musicians around the world. His first international collaboration was as a music producer on Scottish Indian artist Nushka’s single ‘Adipoli’.
Doctor Lincoln | Photo Credit: Special Arrangements
He used the stage name Doctor Lincoln and found a place for himself in the indie music scene; his 2023 album Will See You Now it is deeply personal, where he talks about his innermost emotions and his journey as a musician. “All I want is to be able to express myself through music and let the world see my work,” he said. Dr. Lincoln writes and composes his own songs, in addition to playing the guitar and singing. Their genre is alternative rock meets new wave revival.
In 2018, he was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome (a term not commonly used today) and it was a significant moment in his personal and professional life. He knows why music has always seemed therapeutic to him. He decided to leave the medical profession and pursue music full time. Dr. Lincoln also began actively participating in neurodivergence awareness campaigns. “I have a high-functioning form of autism and I’m still in therapy for the challenges, but what about people with low-functioning, non-verbal autism? I want to be their voice.”
Doctor Lincoln | Photo Credit: Special Arrangements
People with autism have atypical neurological wiring that makes them overwhelmed and music has been scientifically proven to have a calming effect, he added. Dr. Lincoln has been vocal about the inclusion of neurodivergent people in the music industry. “We need to continue to educate people to create a more inclusive space for everyone.”
His personal journey, despite episodes of confusion, has been rewarding, he said. He still remembers the first professional gig he did. “It was at the 24th edition of the legendary Independence Rock music festival in 2009. I played bass guitar for a Thiruvananthapuram-based band. Crimson Wood led by actor Sreenath Bhasi. It’s a big stage. I’m afraid of crowds, lights and I feel like I’m going to choke and have a seizure. But I was able to play and I left the stage happy. Twenty seconds into the performance, I was able to get into the groove. It’s like heart surgery. It’s just until I make the first incision and then it flows,” said Dr. Lincoln.
This is what is expected of neurodivergent individuals. To find a place where they can develop into a winning version of themselves.
Music has always been a part of Dr.’s life. Lincoln. Through his medical education and while doing postgraduate studies in Surgery and Cardiothoracic Surgery, he devoted all his free time to music. He was also part of a now defunct experimental band Once Selected.
He is currently working on a song with journalist and songwriter Ronnie Kuriakose on Commander Abhilash Tomy, the first Indian to complete a solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the world on screen in 2013. Lincoln also collaborated with actor Vinay Forrt on a single. “It will have contemporary Fort Kochi-based folksy lyrics mixed with electronica,” he added. My own sophomore Malayalam single Oru Punk follow through to 2023 Neeeeewhich explores the international ‘punk’ music subculture in Malayalam, will release in 2025.
Most people underestimate the type of work musicians do, said Dr. Lincoln. “It’s a very wide field. You have to build a musical vocabulary. You have to listen to others and learn from the people around you. Music is not as effortless as it seems. It requires constant commitment and one day, it will reward you. I continue- keep trying to be a better musician.
Published – November 21, 2024 22:38 IST
