The Score Magazine December 2021 issue | Page 20

NAVYA C

Focus on Carnatic Indie Musicians - in Lockdown Time

Carnatic Music is quite grounded and disciplined in the first place but over the years , the amazing music form has undergone many metamorphoses and interesting add-ons . Carnatic progressive rock is one such genre that has garnered much attention with lead vocalists staying true to the Carnatic compositions harmonizing with fantastic string sections and adding fusion aspects to it . During the lockdown time in particular , many Carnatic artists – experienced artists along with youngsters came up with exciting mashups and interesting fusion . These artists are vivacious , experimental and brought Carnatic music closer to the younger audience :
1 . Harish Shivaramakrishnan : The power-packed lead singer of Carnatic progressive rock band Agam , Harish is a trained Carnatic singer . His amazing vocal range and selection of compositions and rehashing them is quite commendable to the core . Do not miss his Swans of Saraswathi , Manavi Aalakincharadate and Dhanasree Tillana . Apart from being an amazing vocalist , he also plays emphasis on rare compositions of legends such as Swathi Tirunal and Saint Thyagaraja .
2 . Sooraj Santosh : This suave singer has a lilting voice that blends Carnatic vocals with folk flavours . The ever popular number Kaantha by Masala Coffee is an instant foot-tapping single . Sooraj is not just a fantastic Carnatic singer , but knows how to fuse it with western counterparts and add his own melodious beauty to the cover versions .
3 . Arya Dhayal : This relatively young singer from the God ’ s Own Country is making waves with her swift voice . She has been making casual videos over Instagram handle playing ukulele and became an overnight star with her single . Her songs have a beautiful blend between Carnatic music and International pop . With her sweet smile and exceptional talent , Arya Dhayal is definitely making waves in the lockdown artists scene .
4 . Vedanth Bharadwaj : A interesting musician who fuses Carnatic music , Hindustani verses by Surdas and Tulsi Das , and delivers them with mesmerizing style . He , along with his singing partner Bindumalini came up with a fantastic ensemble that fuses our culture together and bring distant genres closer !
5 . Uttara Unnikrishnan : This sweet little powerhouse , the daughter of legendary playback singer Unnikrishnan has been winning over hearts with her lovely renditions . The videos of her along with her father singing so effortlessly is a treat to watch . She has definitely inherited the unmistakeable sweetness from her Dad ! Don ’ t miss watching the fatherdaughter duo videos which are so relish-worthy !
6 . Aditya Rao : This innovative musician has brought tech feels to Carnatic raaga Abheri by fusing it the International pop number Shape of You by Ed Sheeran . Their mix has become one of the biggest hits for obvious reasons . With such experimental ideas , world genres come together in peace and perfection .
7 . Mahesh Raghavan : Another highly skilled musician who brought in the feel of tech and synth sound to Carnatic music . His covers were making waves in the world of social media especially during the lockdown era .
Relish these wonderful musicians who are making the world a better place during the times of Covid with their unique experiments and keeping the optimism going .
The Score
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