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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