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 !
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