I feel Ive got much more than I deserve - A R Rahman

I feel Ive got much more than I deserve - A R Rahman

Category: Masala

Published on Friday, 26 June 2015 08:16

Written by Kiran Arora

I feel Ive got much more than I deserve - A R Rahman

The music nomad A R Rahman who straddles three continents, is now a bit more settled. In a candid interview with Subhash K Jha, Rahman speaks on his musical journey so far and the exciting new things that are happening in his life.
Are you now spending more time in Chennai?
My family has forced me to cut down on travel. 2014 was horrible. I had to be all over the place. There was so much happening at home, and a lot more internationally. I am taking it easy this year. I am doing Mani Ratnamji's film which keeps me close to home in Chennai. But I've an international concert tour happening in May. I can do the music from Chennai. But when there's a live event like a concert or the Grammys, I've to travel. Otherwise I've cut down on my travel drastically.

How has life been treating you this year? 
Good good! I am now spending more time at home in Chennai. We launched our musical band which will play live all over the world. This is part of our initiative to find interesting jobs for the very talented students from my music school, and for young musicians who are not part of my school.
How participative are you in the activities of the music band? 
The songs, vision and execution on stage are all mine. But I won't be on stage with them. They will start their journey with cover versions of Michael Jackson and my songs but then they'd be giving them in their own interpretation. Let me tell you, the students in the band play very complicated harmonies. They've been trained for nearly a year and a half. It's a very professional band.
Your music school was your dream. Now that it's a reality how much time are you able to give to it? 
My sister is running the school. I am not part of it on a day-to-day basis. But otherwise I am constantly in touch with them on email; through phone...I am in touch with the school from all over the world.
You are constantly finding ways to share your talent experience and wealth with people less privileged than you? 
When you have accumulated knowledge and some influence, you want to share it. At age 20, I was another person. At 30, I had evolved a bit more. At 40-plus I've a lot more to share. And that's what I am doing.
At 48, do you feel satisfied with what you've achieved? 
I feel I've got much more than I deserve. I am very grateful to God. When you look at other lives, some very talented but not so successful, you feel grateful for what God has given you. I've family, friends and fans. What more could I hope for?
Has the fan profile changed over the years? 
One has to constantly re-invent the sound and the style. The audience that heard my music 15 years ago in Taal or Hindustani is not the same today. Change is specially a must on stage. You have to innovate on stage. Otherwise you just become a visual avatar of the radio. There is no end to how much one can evolve as an artiste. Individually I may feel satisfied. But if I can excel along with my team it's a different high.
The guru-shishya parampara has been very important for you? 
It's not just about me passing on my knowledge. It's that whole give and take of knowledge. I saw a very good film on this theme Whiplash.
I feel Ive got much more than I deserve - A R Rahman

Whiplash was about a tyrannical guru. You are such gentle soul. Isn't there a fun side of you? 
What do you mean? (Laughs). I've all the fun in my music only. That's my playground and the place where I can be who I want. When one's passion becomes the profession and then that in turn becomes your obsession you are obviously blessed beyond belief.
What do you feel about present day Bollywood composers? 
I think it's time of great musical discovery. There is a lot of innovation. There's a lot more embracing of diversity.
And how much of the credit for this do you give yourself? 
I don't know if I played any hand. But musicians and the audience today have a much wider creative exposure than they did in earlier times. When you play something innovative the audience and listeners are receptive. Civilization is more open to new ideas.
You've done monumental work with Ashutosh Gowariker in the past. How is it working with him again in Mohenjo Daro?
He inspires me. The first thing he told me is that this time he would be shooting a film that would be no more than two hours long (Gowariker's films are known to stretch beyond 3 hours). There are just 4-5 songs in the film.

And Mani Ratnam's film? 
It's a young film a love story with 9 songs. Whatever the score, I go to the core. The songs have to come from the theme and plot. It's never about what I'd like to do. It's what comes naturally from within the film.
Tell me about your international projects? 
There is a film Pele on the life of the footballer. Then there is Majid Majidi's Muhammad.
Your output has increased over the years? 
I think I am more confident about deadlines. I realize some things have to be done within a time frame. But I prefer to work without schedules and limitations.
Where do you stand in your own creative vision? 
I've yet a long way to go. I am constantly learning and evolving. I am currently most excited by my music orchestra for the underprivileged. It's called 'The Sunshine Orchestra'. You'll be surprised at how naturally talented they are. These poor children had never heard of Beethoven and Bach. Today they play the music of these greats.
How did you react to the documentary on you Mozart from Madras? 
I was terrified to watch it. I am embarrassed to talk about myself. But when finally I saw people like Danny Boyle and Mani Ratnam talk about what it was like to work with me I was hooked. They actually made me seem likeable (giggles). It could have gone the other way. Cinema could be very manipulative.
Your humility and simplicity are intact? 
I think South Indian artistes are born with those qualities.

Gingger Shankar-I would love to work with AR Rahman

I would love to work with AR Rahman: Gingger Shankar

• Shreya Mukherjee, Hindustan Times, Kolkata
| 
• Updated: May 13, 2015 19:20 IST

US-based artiste Gingger Shankar is the only woman in the world to play a double violin.

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New sounds always fascinate Gingger Shankar, the only woman in the world to play a double violin. The Passion of the Christ composer also comes from an enviable lineage, she is the daughter of violinist Dr L Subramaniam and classical singer Viji Subramaniam, and her grandmother is Hindustani classical vocalist Lakshmi Shankar, sister-in-law of sitarist Ravi Shankar. "I like things that make me uncomfortable and push me to be better," says Gingger, who is currently busy with the post production of her upcoming album Nari, based on the lives of Lakshmi and Viji Shankar. The singer-cum-double-violinist player spoke to HT about Nari and more.

How did the idea of Nari come to you?
The idea came to me after the death of my grandmother, Lakshmi Shankar, in 2014. Dave Liang (my collaborator) and I were on our way to a concert in Washington DC. I told him about the scrapbooks she had given me and the story of her and my mother. He said that we had to do this project and I agreed. I wanted her and my mother's story to be told. It's such an important one for music and I wanted to tell the story of these two people who greatly influenced my life. The album consists of 13 songs.

What is Nari all about?
It is the unsung story of the lives of Lakshmi and Viji Shankar, two extraordinary artistes who helped bring Indian music to the West in the 1970s through their collaboration with Ravi Shankar and George Harrison. In Sanskrit, 'nari' means both woman and sacrifice. The visuals will take the audience on a behind-the-scenes journey of my mother and grandmother's incredible lives and career. From being rooted in conservative Indian culture, they were catapulted into the stratosphere of American rock and roll and suddenly they were touring with icons such as Ravi Shankar, Billy Preston and George Harrison. Along with the songs, the visuals of Nari will bring to life the pivotal, but seldom-recognised role these women played in the musical revolution that bridged East and West.

Tell us about the videos that you have recorded?
I was in India 2014 December working with my collaborators Dave Liang (producer of the electronic group The Shanghai Restoration Project) and Yunfan Sun (artistic director) filming. We have shot at various places, from Los Angeles and New York to Mumbai, where my mother grew up. The visuals will be a combination of film, archival footage, old photographs and concert posters, animation and fine art.

When are you planning to release Nari? Will it simultaneously release in India and abroad?
We are planning to release the album by the end of 2015. We are planning to release and tour India as well! I cannot wait to premiere it in India.

Any plans of reprising any of your father's popular creations?
When it comes to projects, I never know what the future holds.

Coming to your personal life, being born in the family of legends, how did your passion for music develop?
I was raised in a family of musicians. I grew up with music around me; it was part of my everyday life. I was learning music and dance from the time I was very young and was always going to concerts. Looking back, I realise how lucky I was--running around the studio as a child, playing in the halls during sound checks, always being around music, shows and musicians. It definitely shaped the artiste in me today. I was born in Los Angeles, but was taken to India shortly after. I feel like I grew up there in some ways because of how much time I spent there as a child. I also went to Kalakshetra in India at the age of five.

Musically, what are the genres that you love experimenting with?
I love classical music and pop music. I also like big orchestral sounds. I love bridging the gap between the different worlds I grew up in.

How does it feel being the only woman in the world to play a double violin? 
It is an instrument that covers the entire orchestra range - violin, viola, bass and cello. There are only two in the world and I love the sound of it. It provides a tone and sound unlike any other instrument. Whether I am performing live or doing soundtracks, it gives me such a wide range of sounds to work with. The challenge is that so many people have never heard of it, but that is slowly changing.

After Monsoon Shootout are you composing or singing for any other Bollywood film? 
I just worked on a film called Love Comes Later, directed by Sonejuhi Sinha, which is going to the Cannes Film Festival in May 2015. I haven't worked in Bollywood since Monsoon Shootout, but would love to.

After Katy Perry, are you collaborating with any India or international artiste? How about working with AR Rahman?
I worked with Linda Perry (who wrote for Christina Aguilera and Pink) on my upcoming record. I have some projects coming up that I can't quite talk about yet! I would love to work with AR Rahman.

Members of your family also stay in Kolkata. Any plans of visiting the city? 
I haven't been there in a few years. I have a lot of family in the city, including superb artistes such as Mamata Shankar, Tanushree Shankar, of course the legendary Amala-ji Shankar. I am inspired by these amazing women and can't wait to come back.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/music/i-would-love-to-work-with-ar-rahman-gingger-shankar/article1-1346856.aspx

Rahman's Sunshine Orchestra

Rahman's Sunshine Orchestra

AR RAHMAN

The Sunshine Orchestra creates music and jobs, one of the biggest challenges: AR Rahman

How did the idea to start the Sunshine Orchestra come up?

I think it’s a 40’s syndrome, where you feel you are going to die and before that you have to do something good (laughs). I had heard rumours about so many people starting a school but nothing really happened. Our session orchestra has really been amazing, but I never saw anybody who wanted their sons or daughters to become musicians. The children all became doctors or engineers… so they worked very hard to ensure that their kids didn’t take up music which I thought was a good thing but not good for music. 

When I started the KM Conservatory (his music school) most of the kids came in for piano or composition or voice courses. Not many people took up strings because it is a hard instrument and it needs commitment. And the decision of staying loyal to the art of strings playing - I never trusted that a kid from an upper middle class family would be in it. That’s when I thought like ‘what am I doing, we have a wealth of music’. People are people and in the eyes of God everybody is equal. We say that but we never see people believing in it. At that point of time, I really felt that this is the universal truth.

How was the initial experience?

We started and then stumbled on for two-three years. Nothing moved because there were lots of communication problems. We had a lovely lady from Scotland and we had some people from Czech Republic… all trying to teach the kids the basics but it went over their heads. They were poles apart. And one day I was hearing them (The Sunshine Orchestra) and I was so frustrated that I felt like I failed completely. Then something told me that there’s something lacking here… there was lack of proper communication. I felt that a committed person should mentor and then I was looking at Srinivasa Murthy because when he takes up something he is always very very committed and loyal to that job. And then from then there was a miraculous change happened. I could see the kids smiling. He almost adopted them as his own children and you can see the difference now. He made them play in recordings and in concerts. They have now come to a level where they can play in Chennai. Now we want them to go to the international level.

Why did you name it Sunshine Orchestra?

I was toying with many names like Marina, and then I thought what is so common in Chennai. All four seasons (in Chennai) have sunshine (laughs). So even if rains come, it is there for two days or three days, it’s a rarity. So Chennai means sunshine. So why not Sunshine Orchestra, because this is from Chennai.

What’s your vision for the Sunshine Orchestra?

It is to develop and spread. So we have one in every metro in the country. There is the joy of hearing the music that the orchestra makes and then it creates jobs, which is one of the biggest challenges in our country. So why not make beautiful jobs like these.

These days musicians can collaborate across geographies, so is there really a need to have such orchestra?

You are talking about India and India has 1.3 billion people living in it. Why should we go to some other country? I actually want musicians from other countries to come and record here. Of course, there are certain things we should share with the world. We should share our knowledge with the world just as we shared yoga with the world. Similarly they share their knowledge with us. We shouldn’t be dependent on them. We should not have anything against anybody. But we should be independent.

And what do you think are the challenges going forward?

There will be a lot of financial challenges. You know for giving them more expert training. I am strengthening my foundation now and I think that will help a lot to meet the financial challenges. It’s the AR Rahman Foundation that helped me in making this a reality. But you can’t only think of money. You can’t think like that… money, money, money. Money goes.

- Jarshad NK

What AR Rahman did after pre-empting a talent shortage in the music industry is a case study for CEOs battling manpower crisis, reports Jarshad NK


Sometimes when her heart felt heavy, H Jayanthi would sit on the floor of her house and sing. Mostly, it would be about lost love and the pains of separation — one of the classics from Tamil film music of the 1950s and 60s. The 40-year-old had lost her husband nearly two decades ago when pregnant with her only child — H Jayamalini. Later, medical complications that required her to undergo a heart surgery forced her to quit working as a housemaid, straining the household budget further.


Not surprisingly though, music — which gives her solace — is also now giving her hope. Her daughter Jayamalini was handpicked to be part of an orchestra in Chennai, set up by two-time Academy Award winner AR Rahman. For the past six years, the 19-year-old has been training to play the violin for the orchestra. Jayamalini, who along with her mother lives with her uncle and grandmother, is also pursuing a degree in visual communications through correspondence. She has started performing publicly and is expected to turn professional in two years.


An idea is born

The Sunshine Orchestra, as it is called, is an ambitious project of the AR Rahman Foundation, the musician’s philanthropy initiative. The Orchestra hopes to address the Indian music industry’s urgent need to produce quality instrumentalists, who are in short supply. The Orchestra is also making a positive impact on society. Those who have been chosen to be part of the Sunshine Orchestra — and there are 34 so far — are from the underprivileged sections of society.


The idea for establishing such an orchestra came to Rahman towards the end of the last decade, when it dawned on him that most of the sessions players — the instrumentalists who play for movies — were in their 50s and 60s. There was no young talent being groomed. In a decade or so, he realised, there would be no quality instrumentalists. “Our sessions orchestra has really been amazing, but nobody wanted their sons or daughters to become musicians. They always felt that the next generation should not suffer like them by becoming musicians,” says Rahman.


The suffering that the composer refers to happened mostly in the 1980s, when the introduction of electronic music meant less work for instrumentalists. Computer-programmed music required only a handful of instrumentalists, down from over a hundred playing during song recordings earlier. The ground reality has changed since then (with composers blending instrumentalists with electronic music) and things are looking up for musicians. But there are fewer quality musicians. For instance, from about 300 to 400 top-notch violinists that Chennai boasted of till the 1980s, there are now only at best a couple of hundred. To set right the situation, many composers attempted to launch music schools. But nothing materialised.


“I had heard rumours about so many people starting a school but nothing really happened,” says Rahman. When the composer launched his KM Music Conservatory in 2008, he realised that most of the students were interested in learning piano or composition, or the voice courses. Not many wanted to do strings—short for stringed instruments such as violin and cello—which is the backbone of any orchestra. “Strings is very hard and needs a lot of commitment,” says Rahman. “Something told me that a kid from an upper middle-class family would do it for some time and then leave and do something else.” That is when the musician decided that he would teach it for free to those from the less privileged sections of society.


Rahman approached a school near his house in Chennai’s Dr Subbarayan Nagar — MGR Higher Secondary School — to find out if the management would be interested in getting its students trained in strings. It was. Initially, about 12 students were chosen, including Jayamalini, based on their aptitude for music. Most of them were either in the sixth or seventh standard. Though many of them had sung the odd prayer song during the morning assembly at school, none had heard any western classical music ever.


Jayamalini’s friend Vaijayanthi R, 17, who plays the cello for Sunshine, remembers the excitement of the first visit to Rahman’s studio near his house. “One day we got a call and our music teacher said let’s go to Rahman’s studio. We didn’t know it was for Sunshine Orchestra. We thought it was just for meeting Rahman and we were all excited,” says Vaijayanthi, who is now a part of the 12-member senior batch of Sunshine Orchestra that plays for films and live events.


Once they reached the studio, they were briefed on the idea and asked if they would like to be part of the orchestra. All of them agreed. Vaijayanthi said she chose to learn the cello because she “liked the shape of it,” though it was the first time she had set eyes on one. “Before that I knew nothing about music. No one in my family has learnt music or could play an instrument. I didn’t know who Bach was, Beethoven was. Illayaraja and Rahman were only musicians I had heard of.”


The initiative has found appreciation from other music composers, who are happy that something is being done to bring in fresh talent. “It’s a fantastic initiative. It will help composers like me a lot,” says Santhosh Narayanan, 32, one of the top music composers in the Tamil film industry. “Now I am forced to go abroad regularly to record with the orchestra there. More than the money, it will save people like me a lot of time and energy,” says the composer, who has worked in movies like Soodhu Kavvum,Jigarthanda and Cuckoo.


“There certainly is a talent vacuum and that will remain unless we as responsible musicians don’t encourage new talent,” says Mumbai-based composer Amit Trivedi. “I’m sure there is talent, those kids just need a medium. I’m in complete support of Rahman sir and his quest for talent,” adds Trivedi who has composed for movies such as Udaan and Queen.


The initial days

The classes for the first batch of Sunshine Orchestra began in 2009. The children would come at about seven in the morning to Rahman’s studio where they would be served breakfast before being taught the days lessons. From there they would go to school. Sometimes they would also have theory classes in the evening.


But after almost four years of classes when Rahman dropped in one day to take stock of their progress he was deeply disappointed. The kids had not learnt much. “I was so frustrated that I felt like I failed completely,” says Rahman. “Then something told me that there’s something lacking here. There was no proper communication.”


Most of the teachers taking classes so far had been foreigners. Though excellent coaches, they couldn’t cross the language and cultural barriers between them and the Sunshine students. That was when Rahman decided that he must bring in Srinivasa Murthy, 63, a violinist-turned-music conductor who has been working with the four-time national award winner since 1991.


“We had finished a recording as usual and I was about to go home when Rahman said he wanted to speak to me. He sounded very down,” recalls Murthy, who began learning the violin at the age of four. “Even after four years nothing has been done. He told me that we have actually wasted the time of those kids. The way he told me it was very touching, so I said ‘okay I will have a look at it’. Next morning I went in to give it a try.”


Murthy now teaches strings for the senior batch of 11 at the KM College of Music and Technology, while the lone flautist is taught by another teacher in the same premises. The junior batches are taught in classrooms in Rahman’s studio by other teachers.


Progress, at last

Since Murthy took over the progress has been rapid. Sunshine Orchestra has played for events and for a few films, including Tamil superstar Rajinikanth’s Lingaa. “It took five-six months for me to get close to them. I liked the children, and then they started liking me,” says Murthy, who is now also training them in Indian classical music. “Music cannot be taught by taking an hour’s class a day or through two classes a week. It has to be full time.” After passing their twelfth board exams, the Sunshine children are being taught music full time. Those who want to do higher studies opt to do so through a correspondence course.


And it’s not because the children are poor in academics. One of them, M Balaji, who plays the cello, got full marks in three subjects in his tenth standard board examinations, scoring 491 marks out of a possible 500. But he is clear that his future is in music. “Why should everyone become a doctor or an engineer? How many will get an opportunity like this? He is interested in music, so let him learn music,” says D Manoharan, Balaji’s father, who earns a living by ironing clothes.


Murthy says that in another couple of years the senior batch of Sunshine Orchestra would be good enough to play for others. He is confident that their talent would earn them decent incomes. Currently, a sessions player gets about ₹2,500 every day. Most of them get work for about 15-20 days a month if they are good. The top class ones earn as much as ₹10,000-15,000 a day when they play solo. Studying music at AR Rahman’s school also raised the standing of the children among relatives and neighbours. Their musical instruments occupy the pride of place in their homes and their parents would invariable ask them to play a tune or two when guests dropped in.


“I haven’t stepped into a studio ever. I got to see such instruments only because my daughter is learning music from AR Rahman’s school. So naturally, it’s a great source of pride for us,” says S Vijaya, 43, mother of S Deepa who is one of the three cello players of Sunshine Orchestra. Besides the instruments, all members of the senior batch have been given a smartphone and a laptop by the AR Rahman Foundation.


The challenges ahead

One key challenge would be to retain the talent. As it is a long-term project (10-15 years), some of the members could opt out. For instance, one girl from the first batch dropped out after getting into a regular college and couldn’t keep up with the music training. But the biggest challenge could be the funding, especially as Rahman wants to replicate it in other metros of the country.


Also, instruments are expensive. When the brass section was set up a couple of months ago, the instruments alone cost about ₹85 lakh. Also, a teacher at the conservatory would be paid ₹12-14 lakh a year besides food and lodging. And then there is the added expense if the children have to be trained abroad. But like Rahman says, it’s not all about the money. “You can’t think like that… money, money money. Money goes,” he says.



(This article was published on May 11, 2015)

S Deepa, cello

Anish Franklin, contra bass

A Nandhini, violin

A Balaji, violin

Manoj R, contra bass

Sunshine Orchestra

Shashaa Tirupati on ARR

AR Rahman sir is my saviour: O Kadhal Kanmani singer Shashaa Tirupati

• Vignesh Radhakrishnan, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
| 
• Updated: May 05, 2015 15:47 IST

O Kadhal Kanmani singer Shashaa Tirupati. (Photo : Facebook profile)

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She was born in Srinagar, raised in Vancouver, got her training in music from Allahabad and Benaras, been a Mumbai resident for close to five years now, sings in Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi and English, and has a sweet spot for middle eastern and Sufi forms of music. While 27-year-old Shashaa Tirupati was busy in her own whirlwind life, things took an unthinkable turn two years ago : She was spotted by the Mozart of Madras A R Rahman!

And like it always happens with all Rahman discoveries, Shashaa's the newest sensation of the music world: Her voice is running in loops across India, with the three soul-searching songs she sang in Mani Ratnam's latest Tamil romcom O Kadhal Kammani.

Shashaa Tirupati. (Photo: Facebook)

Shashaa's is yet another example of Rahman's keen eye for spotting talent: He's hailed as a music scientist who experiments with voices for no other reason. Before his entry into Tamil films, the South Indian music industry was suffering from the 'one-film-one-singer' syndrome. A cursory glance of any well-known music directors' discography will show that they rotated a set of accomplished singers for all their songs. New singers were hard to come by, and variety was only in genres, never in the voices.

It was only after the Oscar winner's entry into film music in Mani Ratnam's Roja that many unknown singers started getting their big-breaks. In his debut film, he used a rookie singer called Minmini (though credit has to go to Ilayaraaja for introducing her first) to sing Chinna Chinna Asai (in Hindi Chhoti Si Asha), which catapulted her to international fame.   

The trend continued in many other Mani Ratnam-AR Rahman combinations. Sadhana Sargam became a household name after she sang Snegithane Snegithane (in Hindi Chupke se) from the Tamil film Alaipayuthey (remade in Hindi as Saathiya) and an unknown singer Shakti Shree Gopalan became a hot search topic after ARR made her sing Nenjukulle song from Mani Ratnam's Kadal.

And now we have Shashaa! While she is revelling in her new-found star status, the singer bares her heart on a range of issues in an email interview with Hindustan Times, from her Tamil pronunciations, getting 'spotted' by A R Rahman, and her future plans.


Shashaa Tirupati. (Photo: Facebook)

Your Tamil pronunciation is perfect. How did you manage this without knowing the language?

I have always had a strange love for languages. I taught myself Punjabi, Bengali, Farsi, Italian, Urdu and a few other languages. When it comes to Tamil, though I understand it a bit, I think having listened to almost every Rahman sir's album has helped me improve my stylisation and diction. The rest of it is purely guidance from ARR sir and his team.

In general, is it necessary for you to understand the meaning of the songs you sing? 
Of course you need to know what you’re singing! Music is nothing but an expression of emotion. Understanding the significance of the words and phrases is key to creating an impact at the right moments in a song. The soul of a song comes intrinsically. I don’t want to be a technical singer. I want to be a technically sound singer who makes hearts tingle.

You call ARR your inspiration. How was it working with him?

Inspiration seems too small a word in front of the influence he has had in my life. He is all what I am today. He believed in a voice that so many others rejected. He utilised my voice at a time no one else felt I had it in me. He’s been a saviour.


Shashaa Tirupati. (Photo: Facebook)

When and how did ARR notice you?

This one always makes my stomach flutter! It was for Coke Studio Season 3 in 2013. I owe all my experiences and opportunities with ARR sir to a dear friend and co-worker, Nitish, also a mixing engineer on sir’s team. He told me about the auditions for a Hindustani Choir sir wished to put together for his episode that season. I auditioned with six others, and by God’s Grace, was selected. During one of the rehearsals, ARR sir randomly asked which one of us was Shashaa and I hesitantly raised my pinky. I thought I had messed up and was singing the harmonies all wrong. Next day I mustered the courage and asked him if I had done something wrong. He said my voice sounded like a musical instrument. I was relieved, but even more confused now, wondering if that was a compliment or a strike out!

A month after our episode was telecast, I received a call from his studio and was asked if I could fly down to Chennai the next day as sir wanted to try my voice…  That was the point I realised it was a good thing to sound like a musical instrument! That song was Vaada Vaada from Kochadaiiyaan.

What were his first words to you and yours to him? Any memorable exchanges with him that you cherish? 

First words: “Which one of you is Shashaa?”

The most memorable and grateful moment I’ll owe to him would be that first trip for his work to Chennai. I fell ill with a horrible throat and cough and was unable to record. The world ended for me, considering this was the moment I had prayed for all my life. I met sir and he calmly told me that as soon as I feel better, I could let him know, as he has kept the song aside for me. He could have replaced me with one of those million singers dying to work with him, but he didn't. Hence my immeasurable dedication towards Him.

If you are asked to list 3 ARR songs which you wish you had sung which three would you choose?

Three? How about three hundred! Seriously speaking, it would be insulting to even think of being in place of any of the veteran singers. I’d rather say a few of ARR sir’s songs that are extremely close to my heart with female lines -- Kehna Hi Kya, Tu Hi Re, Tere Bina Besuadi and Jiya Jale. What Chitra ma, Lata ji, and Kavitha ji have done is beyond divine.

You've sung 5 songs for ARR till now. Which one of these are you most satisfied with?

Well, with film releases including Telugu versions/languages, the total number is not 5 but about 9. Every song I've sung for sir so far has its very own set of experiences, lessons, and vibe. As serene as Vaada Vaada was, Aye Mr. Minor had its own element of chirpiness, Naane Varugiren its thrill and challenge and Parandhu Sella Vaa had scope for experimentation and playfulness midst western and Hindustani classical.

Let's now talk about your songs in Ok Kanmani. Among the three you've sung for the film, which one was the most difficult and why? 

Each song had its challenges, but Naane Varugiraen was a different thing altogether. I never thought I’d be able to do justice to such intricate brilliance! It was a tug of war between taal and sur and expression. Concentrating on one would lead to losing out on the other. It took me a good 3-4 hours to dub this song, and sir has been the epitome of patience and faith dealing with me on this one!

Did you make any impromptu improvisations in any of these three songs which ARR liked and included?

He’s the king of improvs! He kept shooting out what was going on in his mind, especially in Parandhu Sella Vaa, and yet he would encourage us (Karthik and myself) to come up with little phrases. So little things like the classical parts that I did were beautifully retained and placed whereas all the funky “takachikatakachikas”, “tikadhum tikadhum”s were sir’s craft.

Any particular experience you would like to recount which you cherished during Ok Kanmani recordings?

Seeing AR sir and Mani (Ratnam) sir in the same room. Greatness Overload. Till then I didn't know I was singing for the their film! I had haunting themes and scenes of Guru, Bombay, Roja playing in my head while I watched them both work.

Was there any particular stanza in these three songs which took you a lot of takes before rendering it perfectly? Any hardest bit?

From the first line till the last line of "Naane Varugiraen". It’ll be a sure shot task performing that live !

So what's on your plate next? Are you doing more Tamil songs or going back to Hindi?

As much as I've been working towards Bollywood playback, I adore Tamil music and cinema. Hence, I regularly travel between both cities as and when I’m required for recordings. I’m working with several composers down south as well as in Mumbai.

You are a Canadian with roots in Kashmir?

I've been a multicultural and multinational kid! I was born in Srinagar, raised in Vancouver, had music training in Allahabad and Benares, and I've been living in Mumbai for about four and a half years now. I've sung in Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, and English and have a sweet spot for middle eastern and sufi forms of music.

I spent most of my childhood in Canada, where I grew up singing, performing, swimming, practicing seikeido, ice skating, girl scouting, playing soccer, and reading! Then my parents brought me to India to seek classical training. I was oscillating between Vancouver and Allahabad in the midst of that.

Shashaa Tirupati. (Photo: Facebook)

I went back post my junior college for higher studies in Canada, had topped the province in my grad school and went on to university on a full scholarship, besides 6 other scholarships. But then I dropped out of pre-med after hearing ARR sir's “Dum dara dum dara mast mast” song in the film "Guru" and decided this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I wanted to be prepared to sing under ARR Sir. I kept him in my mandir for 12 years and felt that impressing him wouldn't be easy.

I practiced for two years and then kind of ran away from home. I came to Bombay, did some reality shows and hundreds of jingles for the funding and shows and some 15 odd Hindi and various regional films' playback, but I maintained the riyaaz as the bigger picture was something else. Finally through Coke Studio I realised my dream.

Anything else you want to mention?

I would like to thank the team at Panchathan- Suresh Permal, Srinivasa Murthy, Srinivasa Doraiswamy, Srinidhi Venkatesh, Jerry Silvester Vincent, Sami Durai, Nitish R, PA Deepak, Karthik, Chetan, Vijay, Ishaan - all these people were crucial parts of the entire process and making us sound as beautiful as we did in the final product.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/regional/ar-rahman-sir-is-my-saviour-o-kadhal-kanmani-singer-shashaa-tirupati/article1-1344107.aspx