Kavya Ajit may be the new kid on the block but she is definitely making waves with her vocals. The youngster whose childhood dream was to make her mark in the music industry is slowly but surely doing so.
From her solo in her debut song in Rose Guitarinaal in 2013 to a duet with Vineeth Srinivasan in the recent blockbuster movie Jacobinte Swargarajyam , Kavya has come a long way as a playback singer. She puts her success down to a mix of luck, talent and hard work.
It was luck that brought her to musician Shahabaz Aman’s attention. “Someone suggested my name to Shahabaz sir as he was in search of a new voice. I guess he liked mine,” says Kavya, a Carnatic singer and Western violinist.
Her grandmother, Kamala Subrahmaniam, a former All India Radio artiste, was her first teacher in music. She taught Kavya the basics of Carnatic music.
The youngster considers herself a “trained” singer and not a born one. “It is daily, rigorous sadhana that has helped me reach my dream of becoming a musician,” says the 25-year-old from Kozhikode, who is currently residing in Chennai.
Moving to Chennai was what pushed her to pursue her musical dream. “I am a software engineer employed in Chennai. Seeing others around me fulfilling their musical ambitions, I too decided to chase mine,” says Kavya. She started off by singing jingles for various advertisements.
The singer feels that it is a good time for new comers to venture into the music field. “Music composers are currently seeking new voices. They don’t want singers who mimic the style of yesteryear singers. They want talented fresh voices.”
Although ‘Engum Nalla Pookkal’ in Rose Guitarinaal was her debut, it was ‘Nee En Kaattaay…’ in Jo and the Boy and ‘Ee Shishirakaalam…’ from Jacobinte Swargarajyam that got her a “real” break in the industry.
“I am now invited to various music shows on television and am part of stage music shows. In fact, I have performed with Karthik, Vijay Prakash and Naresh Iyer to name a few,” says Kavya.
The doe-eyed beauty who holds Carnatic concerts and participates in Western vocal and violin shows giggles as she says she was offered various roles in film.
“But I haven’t taken any up as I have just begun a career in music. I don’t want to become distracted. There is so much in music to explore – there’s programming, composing, vocal arrangement…I am happy with where I am right now and intend to enjoy the ride.”
