“Observe the seven notes,” advises Shankar Mahadevan

Singer Shankar Mahadevan, renowned for his amazing ability to become “breathless” and captivating voice, recently gave a performance in the city.

Takeaways from the conversation

Regarding your performance at the Heartfulness Institute, how do you feel?

The Heartfulness Institute imparts the virtue of gratitude for everything that God has provided. Here, children’s minds are being polished by meditation. One becomes more joyful, content, and serene. More than 120 spiritual leaders from all of this country’s religions gathered for this wonderful conclave. It is not a simple process.

What is the musical resonance of spirituality?

Spirituality and music are not distinct from one another. The seven notes speak to you. Maa, why do you weep every time you hear one of my songs? Or why, when hearing the tune Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe, do you begin to dance? You get happiness, or an emotional quotient, from music. That’s because your heart is responding to those tones. What’s that, too? That’s what spirituality is all about.

Do you believe that experimenting with many musical genres may lead to dedication and spirituality?

Music is spiritual as long as you stay with the seven notes.

Could you disclose who you are in Hyderabad with?

I’ve only visited this place a gazillion times! The city of Hyderabad is young. Because of the widespread digital age and the strong computer impact, the city is brimming with youthful vitality. Whether I sing in Telugu or Hindi, the young people here who come from diverse origins always welcome me with open arms when I perform. I’ve had an incredible experience performing here. The cuisine is wonderful and the city is breathtaking.

Hyderabad is seeing a surge in the production of independent music. What do you think of this whole change in music?

Not only is independent music becoming more and more popular in Hyderabad, but globally as well. The reason for this is because, in the digital era we live in, you no longer have to sit in a music company’s reception area and hope that the owner will hear your song. Having a YouTube channel gives you direct access to your audience. Declare your intentions; if Maa Saraswati is on your side and fortune is on your side, you will become successful.

What distinguishes someone who receives formal instruction and years of dedication to music from someone who just uploads their music to the internet and becomes well-known?

What now? They are also able to release their songs. Grammar improvement is the aim of classical training. How far you choose to go into the art of music is entirely up to you. Would you want to study literature? You want to read how many books? How many writers are you interested in reading? What is your desired amount of schooling hours? The same holds true for music. Are you curious about ragas and taals? Everything is up to you. However, it doesn’t imply you can’t get popularity. Music’s profundity and its level of popularity are two very different things. You can last for a very long period if you have both.

How do you see classical music’s whole gharana system?

I reject the idea of the gharana. It has been here for a long time, as far as I know. There seem to be just two kinds of gharanas, in my opinion. There are two types of gharanas: good and evil.

Are there any Telugu rappers or independent artists that you know of?

I must have seen and heard a lot on Instagram and YouTube. One song these days makes up one minute on a reel. I can’t recall the names, but they have tremendous skill, particularly in Telugu folk music. I adore it so much.

Any forthcoming Telugu-language projects?

We are discussing a very significant Telugu project, however. Let’s hope that comes to pass. I would really want to work with more artists in Telugu. Here are several amazing composers, including my personal favorite, MM Keeravani, Devi Sri Prasad, and Sai Thaman. Keeravani Sir and I have this mutual admiration club. He sends me a WhatsApp if I write anything good. I give him a note whenever he accomplishes anything excellent. As a result, we constantly admire one another. I adore it so much.

What is your opinion of the Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy “brand”?

The brand has been in existence for 28 years. Better hope I like it!