Straddling diverse musical styles with ease, Sid Sriram, the voice behind Tamil film hits such as Thalli Pogathey , Ennodu Nee Irundhaal , Adiye and, more recently, Maacho , will present Boundless , a musical experience that brings together the energy of a live set with a boundary-pushing soundscape at The Hindu November Fest in Chennai.
In an interview with MetroPlus he reflects on his musical influences, his training and Boundless .
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
1. Whose music has influenced you most in the genres that you practise and perform?
ADVERTISEMENT
The first genres of music I was introduced to were Carnatic music and Indian film music. I gravitated towards the music of Carnatic legends such as MS Subbulakshmi, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and Madurai Mani Iyer.
Listening to AR Rahman as a five-year-old opened my mind to a whole new set of creative dimensions. Later, I started listening to Jazz and Soul/R&B artistes such as Stevie Wonder, Sam Cooke and Luther Vandross. Though the technique was different from that of Carnatic music, I found some aesthetic similarities that gave me a basis to teach myself how to sing in the genre.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
My time at Berklee College of Music was probably my greatest period of artistic growth and internalisation. I listened to Kanye West and also dove deep into bands like Radiohead, Portishead, and Bon Iver. Here is where I started composing and writing my own music and my vision really started taking shape. From a young age, I’ve had a wide spectrum of artistic influences.
Carnatic music is my foundation and fountainhead. Being so deeply entrenched in contemporary forms of Western music has guided me in the way I create my original music.
My experience and growth in the film music world, and the time I’ve spent studying legendary film composers have given me depth of insight into how music can inspire a range of emotions.
2. Given the distinct styles of music that you perform, how do you train your voice to suit each one of them?
All the forms/musical streams I’m involved with are different. Carnatic music requires the most vocal stamina, endurance and nuance. I practise 30-45 minutes of Carnatic voice exercises every morning, and then a longer session of more in-depth explorations of raga/improvisation and compositions later on in the day.
Outside of my Carnatic practice schedule, I’m constantly listening to different styles of music, sitting at the piano to come up with new ideas, and writing out lyrics/concepts. I’ve learned that the creative process never stops, it’s like breathing. I’ve also learned that musical growth and exploration is just as much mental as it is physical.
3. You spend a considerable amount of time in the US and the rest of it in India. Do you feel any pressure to stay equally active in all the genres that you perform in both countries?
I take it as a blessing that I split my time between California and Chennai. This physical shuttling back and forth has offered me a unique artistic perspective that manifests in all of my work.
For a while, I tried keeping my different musical/artistic worlds separate. But, I truly realised the scope and power of what I can do when I broke down the barriers; the realisation that all of my artistic endeavours are rooted in the same emotional, spiritual, intellectual source was very liberating.
I think on a broader level, this realisation speaks to my social outlook as well. Isolationism doesn’t make way for collaboration and juxtaposition of different influences.
4. What is Boundless all about?
The seed for Boundless is the universality of art.
My career has been defined by instances of different worlds colliding into one another, creating unique and distinct experiences. With Boundless I wanted to bring a little order to this otherwise chaotic process. I wanted to consciously play with the cross-germination of different artistic dimensions, with each point of collision being carefully orchestrated.
Over the course of my artistic journey, I’ve had the immense honour of collaborating with incredible artistes.
Boundless will feature Pallavi Sriram, a Bharatanatyam artiste, Sanjeev Thomas on guitar, Leon James on keys, Keba Jeremiah on bass, Praveen Sparsh on percussion, Tapass Naresh on drums and Marti Bharath on synth, live loops and sound effects.
The music will span my original work, music from films and Carnatic-based pieces, all presented through a consistent framework.
Conceptually, I’ve explored the idea of comparing the span of a day from dawn to dusk, to the span of a lifetime, from beginning to end. I’ve created simple, abstract visuals with an incredibly talented filmmaker/screenwriter, Deepthi Govindarajan, to provide the ambience for this experience.
5. How is Boundless different from your other performances?
Boundless is radically different from anything I’ve presented before on many levels. With this production, I wanted to create a truly immersive experience. From the soundscape of the show, to the way movement will be weaving in and out through the production, to the dimension that will be created by the colour palette and content of the visuals and lights, I want everyone who comes to experience Boundless to be transported to a different world once they enter the auditorium.
Sid Sriram will be performing at The Music Academy, TTK Road, on Friday, November 10, at 7.30 pm
Dates and Venue
CHENNAI:
November 10, The Music Academy
Sponsors:
- Powered by - Fiat
- Associate Sponsor – Hindustan University & Nova Life Spaces (Chennai)
- TV Partner – Doordarshan
- Hospitality Partner – Taj Coromandel (Chennai), Taj Krishna (Hyderabad), Taj Westend (Bengaluru)
- Radio Partner - Radio One (Chennai), Fever (Bengaluru & Hyderabad)
- Sound Partner – Zebronics
- Instrument Partner – Furtados (Bengaluru)
- Water Partner – Aachi
- Mall Partner - Ampa Skywalk
At a glance:
Tickets: Click >here to book tickets. Also available at: > BookMyShowTicket
Daily: Rs 300, Rs 500, Rs 750 | Season pass - Rs 2500, Rs 1500, Rs 1000 Help line: +91-72999-11222 (between 10 a.m. & 5 p.m.) Follow us Facebook: > The Hindu November Fest Twitter: > @THNovFest