Kolkata, Jan 27 (IANS) Bollywood singing sensation KK, who has just turned composer with the album 'Humsafar', says he has had no formal training in music.

He says as a child his parents had once sent him to a music class.

'I went there only for three days. I hated it because for me music had no boundaries and I couldn't understand why one needed to learn singing. So I left, and I never went back,' KK told IANS after performing at a college function here.

He said his lack of training helped him perform naturally. He believes music should be pleasant to the ear. And that is his mantra for singing as well as for composing songs.

Speaking about his new album 'Humsafar', which has come eight years after the release of his super-hit debut album 'Pal', he says: 'I always wanted to do something for myself as opposed to singing for other people.

'I had written two songs initially. 'Yeh Kahan' was penned seven years ago and 'Dekho Na', a rock number, was written six years ago while jamming with my band. The rest of the six songs came about in the last two years.'

One of the tracks 'Cineraria', a rock number, is in English. Another track, 'Humsafar', an interplay of English and Hindi lyrics, is about one's conscience and how it is a constant companion in the journey of life.

His favourite number 'Rain Bhai Kaari' is influenced by Bengal's traditional Baul folk song and is 'a little modern, a little rock'.

While revealing the reason for the long gap between the release of his first album and the second album, he says, 'I was never working against a deadline. But in the last three years, I was getting quite restless and then it finally happened.'

He said the final impetus came from his wife in 2007 with whom he lost a bet while on a holiday in Shimla.

It has been a long journey for the singer who began by singing advertisement jingles and made it big in Bollywood playback music after the release of his debut album 'Pal'.

He considers the song 'Tadap Tadap Ke Is Dil Se' from the film 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' the turning point of his career.

KK also loves performing on stage. 'To me the stage is like an extension of myself except when it comes to television because I can't act and there's no audience to connect with,' he says.

He cannot hide his dislike for the small screen and talent hunt shows. 'They seem fake to me,' he said. 'Young singers should realise television shows give you momentary recognition until someone else comes and steals the spotlight,' he says.

Citing the example of one such show, where he was a jury member, he said, 'Who remembers 'Fame Gurukul' now. That is history.'