Do you think you have been graced with privileges as your father is a great musician or is it tough to stand out in the music industry despite it?
I consider myself very very lucky to be Shankar Mahadevan’ s son. It’ s like I have a whole institution of music at home. I have been exposed to some of the best musicians in this country and around the world.
Not a lot of people would get to experience these things and just being in the studio with SEL, I’ ve learnt so much from them. But with that said, you have to be good to stand out in this immensely competitive industry. People either love you or they don’ t and it is really gratifying when people appreciate your work. I don’ t think coming from a musical family helps you stand out, only excellence can. Comparisons keep happening but I take it positively as it helps me set a very high benchmark for myself. It makes me work harder and do better.
How was it to manage your time between studies and music when you were in college?
I was a very notorious student, very actively involved in all kinds of extracurricular activities and sports. I actually opened the batting for my school cricket team. Honestly I used to hate studying, probably still do but I always somehow managed to study last minute and do pretty well in my exams. In college especially, when work started coming I would hardly attend college and the faculty did get pretty mad at me, I hope they are proud of me now. I did BMM and it was a fun course and very creative so I enjoyed those 3 years too. I did music for my first Marathi film just a few weeks before my 12th science board exams.
It was tricky sometimes but you always figure a way out.
We hear you’ re going to be part of‘ Rock On 2’. How did this association come about? What was your favourite musical number from the previous movie?
I don’ t know why everyone thinks I’ m going to be singing a song in Rock On 2. Someone published it but that’ s not true. I just did chorus( backing vocals) on a couple of tracks along with a couple of co singers. Nevertheless, I’ d Love to!!
My favourite song from Rock On would probably be‘ Tum Ho Toh’ because I think it’ s one of the best written rock ballads ever! Farhan’ s voice, SEL’ s composition and Javed Ji’ s lyrics are pure genius.
The‘ Swachh Maharashtra Jingle’ is electrifying and packed with the feel of the state’ s culture. Coming from a diverse cultural background, your Mother a Marathi and Father a Tamilian, which is your major influence? And does it have an effect on your music?
We live in a country where the people and music are so diverse. There is so much music in our culture. I unfortunately don’ t understand Tamil but I understand Marathi but that doesn’ t mean Carnatic music hasn’ t influenced me. It has and in big ways. I think when you live in a country where every 100kms you get to hear a completely different style of music, you’ re blessed. As a musician I try to let as many styles of music influence me as I listen to a vast array of music right from Ghazals and Abhangs to Hip Hop, Pop, Rock, Jazz etc. The list is endless. Each and every genre of music influences you in so many ways and India itself has so much music that is to be explored.
Do you have any daily rituals to practice music?
There aren’ t any rituals when I practice singing. I love singing while having a shower as there is always a natural reverb in the shower area. Sometime Dad, my younger brother Shivam and I would go for a swim at our farmhouse and we would sing for hours in the pool!
What is your most memorable recording experience so far?
Most memorable recording experience would obviously be when I recorded Zinda. It was the first time I was recording for a Bollywood song and I was both nervous and excited. But other than that if I had to name one time that I vaguely remember was when I recorded a little mouth percussion on my Dad’ s album Breathless when I was 3 years old.
I remember and was told that I made everyone go out of the studio and I asked them to switch off all the lights and only then I recorded it. The song is called Tere Khayalon Se and I happen to feature in the video too as a little baby!
Any plans to diversify from Bollywood singing to Indie music?
I think Indie music is great and I surely will put out my own indie album soon. I’ d love to sing on an Indie track. There are so many Indie artists whose music I love and listen to regularly.
Do you prefer composing your own song or singing for another music director?
The experience of composing, singing your own composition and singing for another composer is totally different and you cannot compare it. When you sing own composition, you know the melody the song inside out as you have lived with the song since the song was conceived and it’ s in your system whereas when you get inside a studio to sing for another composer, you have literally 10 minutes to own the song and sing it like it’ s yours before you go behind the mic.
I think there is a thrill in both but surely singing for another composer is more challenging.
Your favourite musicians from around the world?
This is probably the most common but most difficult questions asked. The list is endless and I feel I wouldn’ t do justice by just naming a few cause each and every musician whose music I’ ve heard and liked has played a big part in my music.
We all get earworms. Tell us some songs that you keep humming?
As a musician you keep listening to so many new songs everyday! And before you know it your humming that song on that day. You could reach a stage where your almost addicted to a song on a particular day and you might not even like the song. Hahaha... It is very difficult to name one.
If you could collaborate with an artist of your choice, who would it be and why?
Give me one wish to collaborate with one artist and without a second thought it would be the one and only Michael Jackson. It was very painful when I heard we lost one of the greatest artists in the world. He is a performer of the highest order and I’ ve drawn so much inspiration from him. I was very lucky that I got to perform at the MJ tribute concert in Chennai with some of India’ s top singers. I sang the Earth Song. It still gives me the chills. I wish I had met him only once in my life and to collaborate with him in any way possible would always a dream.
To you, what does music symbolize?
To me music is a symbol of expression. It’ s an emotion that everyone feels and needs in they’ re life. I don’ t think anyone’ s life can ever be complete without music. Right from the time a baby is born; the beating of the heart is the first rhythm you ever feel. Music has the power to transcend boundaries, to connect people, to bring happiness to millions and give sense of satisfaction.
This young musician with much potential is stepping out from his father’ s shadow. Siddharth Mahadevan is out to conquer music and we suggest you stay hooked to him.
The Score Magazine
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