For someone who has put in his time and effort into earning a living in one of music and film’s hallowed ground of Hollywood, producer and musician Shreyas Srinivas says there is no such thing as “making it” in the music industry. He explains, “It is subjective when you are working in the arts or entertainment industry where everybody has different levels of talent and skills.”
Srinivas, also a sound editor and designer based in Hollywood, grew up in Bengaluru and Hyderabad before moving to the US to pursue music production in 2012. There is still a strong connect to India and Bollywood for the 26-year-old, who recently worked with music director Krsna Solo on Tanu Weds Manu and Tanu Weds Manu Returns . He says about the projects he chooses, “I usually take up a lot of indie projects only for the scope of improvisation in whatever capacity I work on. If I work as a music producer and sound engineer, I take up projects that I’m capable of contributing to creatively rather than just doing thing what I’m told by the artist / show runner.”
While production and editing work is always on, Srinivas is working with Krsna Solo on his EP, comprising six tracks. Although he is reserving details about collaborations for later, the release revolves around Srinivas’ life in Los Angeles and in New York. “If there was a sound to life, this EP would be it,” he says. There are two songwriters – one based in Toronto and another in Melbourne – contributing to the EP, and Srinivas says he will finally choose which goes on the album after a few more listening sessions.
He still looks back at the time he spent as an independent musician in Bengaluru and Hyderabad with fondness, and says although he hasn’t been able to keep up with India’s indie music circuit, he respects it.
“The thing with Bengaluru is that the music is amazing. Probably way more advanced musically than here in Hollywood, with respect to the music system and the local music traditions penetrating the pop or electronic sphere.” However, he adds, “The problem has always been in the industry and the market being a little incapable of handling that. There is no organisation and system in place.”
So what is his advice? Talking about his transition from wanting to become a musician to getting involved in all aspects of audio – production, recording, designing and more – Srinivas says, “Being open to whatever job comes your way is important”. He adds, “Nothing is going to hit immediately. You have to be open to respecting the journey and the growth if you’re starting from scratch. Don’t expect to come to LA and get signed overnight to label, you got to put the work in.”
