SNEHA RAMESH
Rasika the Singer- Rasika started her journey with a tour in the U. S. accompanying the Ghazal legend Ustad Ghulam Ali Khan as a vocalist. Her singing was revered by Ustad Ghulam Ali Sahab himself and audiences alike for maintaining authenticity and rendering soulful music. Renowned singer and composer Shankar Mahadevan offered her a chance to sing for the film‘ Dekh Indian Circus’ that was composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. Following that, she started performing on world tours with the musical trio. As a playback singer, she has also sung for films 2 States & Kill Dil. Recent song‘ Sau Aasoon’ from Katti Batti.
Rasika the Flautist – Rasika is a trained Carnatic flautist and has performed solo Carnatic flute concerts at various venues in the United States, Dubai, Chennai and Mumbai and has won numerous awards along her way. Last year, Rasika was invited to perform at the very prestigious World Flute Festival in Delhi.
We speak to this talented girl about her musical endeavors and more.
Tell us about your inclination towards Classical Music. How did it come about?
It is mainly thanks to my grandmother who instilled that interest in classical music very early on. She is a remarkable Carnatic violinist who had been performing with many artists all over the world for so many years. I actually first learned to play the violin from her and then started learning vocal music from my aunt and mother. So classical music has always been a big part of my mother’ s side of the family. And my dad has always had great appreciation for it. I grew up listening to a lot of Carnatic music at home. When I moved to the US from Dubai, I started learning the flute from Dr. Bhavani Rao, a multi-faceted artist and the inclination towards classical music just grew stronger.
Having grown up outside India, how did you pursue Classical music?
Contrary to what a lot of people think, there’ s an enormous amount of interest and love for classical music outside India. You’ ll find many organizations and bodies that feature Iindian classical music so prominently. Being involved in many of these along with close friends of mine was helpful. And of course, growing up with a lot of classical music lovers in the family was definitely one of the driving forces. The enthusiasm and love for it at home made me more passionate and perseverant towards learning. I must thank my mom for the constant encouragement and so dedicatedly taking us to classes. Most of our weekends were spent attending concerts, community events, practice sessions, competitions, etc. I was also lucky to find an amazing teacher who trained me and opened up my mind to many aspects of Carnatic music.
You are known to be amazing at Flute & Vocals, a gift indeed. How did such an interest come about?
It was quite gradual to be honest. And I definitely feel blessed:) I started singing when I was about 8 or 9. One day I found an old flute behind this old dusty shelf we had in the balcony. I picked it up and spent the next couple of days playing it. I was able to produce sound and play a couple of notes immediately. I still have no idea whose flute it was or where it came from! My mom remembered the excitement on my face when I tried playing it and put me in classes when we moved to the US. All through high school and college, I listened to hours and hours of Hindustani classical music, ghazals, qawwalis, film music, blues etc. and started incorporating these forms in my singing. Although some people told me I should strictly stick to doing one or the other( play or sing), I found it almost impossible to choose. I equally loved singing and playing especially since I was exploring different areas of music with each of them. So I kept working enthusiastically on both! My family, friends and gurus kept the interest going and still do!
Where do you draw inspiration from usually?
Everywhere really. Maybe more so from nature, dance and human lives. Dance is something that really excites me. I’ ve performed with many dance productions in the past and it has always been inspiring. The rhythmical elements and art of expression and storytelling in dance forms makes it such a beautiful and powerful visual embodiment of music. I visualize a lot of the music I compose or play. As for human lives, the more you travel and interact with people from different places, the more perspectives you engage in. You find sudden inspiration from subjects that portray the human condition and emotion. Nature is of course something that just speaks to everyone. The energy is beautiful. When we open our hearts to it, it always has a lot to say!
You ' ve widely performed. Which has been your best performance by far and why?
Haha I would like to think it is yet to happen:) All the performances so far have been super enriching and exciting in different ways! One such I would never forget, was a classical flute concert that I had performed in Mumbai some time back. The response after the concert from everyone present there was extremely humbling. I specifically remember an old lady who came up to me, held my hand for a very long time and just smiled at me with happiness. It was a very touching moment. There was a different connection between me and my co-artists on stage that day and it was divine! The other performances that hold a very special place in my heart are the first performances with Ustad Ghulam Ali Khan Sahab and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. Both experiences were phenomenal and unforgettable to say the least!
Apart from this, you ' ve also sung for films. Aren ' t both entirely different?
Yes singing for films is a completely different experience. Sometimes, you have to work within a certain framework. But that makes it very exciting. You get to experiment with your voice and expression based on the situation and the emotion that’ s being conveyed.
Tell us about your future projects.
There are some collaborations in the pipeline. I’ ve spent time working and rehearsing with different artists and we’ re working towards the recording of theses different projects. A bit of solo work is also in the making; working on a couple of singles and it’ s been fun! Excited to share soon:)
Your message to fans & readers of the magazine.
I would like to say the biggest THANK YOU to you guys for being so loving and encouraging! I’ m here because of your support and it means a lot! Thank you!
The Score Magazine www. thescoremagazine. com
21