Most 20-year-olds are busy with friends, college, exams and extra-curricular activities. Ayushi Karnik however, has a different set of priorities.
The 20-year-old from Surat is making waves in the country’s music scene with her guitar playing, singing and song-writing skills. At a time when people her age are dabbling in electronica and hip-hop, Ayushi got hooked on to the blues. “It makes me feel more human and comes to me naturally.” Catching up to her at a ‘Going Solo’ concert at BFlat recently, Ayushi says she’s thrilled to be back in Bengaluru. Ayushi shared the stage with some of India’s finest musicians at the NH7 Weekender last year and is excited to play in the city which hosts most of her heroes.
Finding her true calling in the blues, Ayushi performed a whole set of re-arranged versions of music from the 70’s and 80’s and her own compositions. Her ethereal voice and her spectacular guitar-work blending in perfect harmony was a real treat. Ayushi has no formal training in guitar. “I started playing when I was 12 during my summer vacations. I had a guitar at home and was watching Tom & Jerry on TV. I love the cartoons and took up the guitar and recreated the tunes. It was absolute fun.”
From recreating cartoon tunes to playing her own singles and creating a niche for herself, Ayushi says she is excited to be doing what she loves. “There was a brief stint with a blues band but I felt stuck after a while. I wanted to play solo, explore and write my own music.”
Playing live has been a revelation. “I’m always locked up in my room practicing. This is the first time I’m getting out. I don’t get to play much there and people tend to judge. Surat is a closed world. When I got to know that there are pubs where I can play live music such as BFlat, I decided to come over.”
Having dabbled in Metal before she found her passion for blues, Ayushi says she owes her inspiration to Soulmate, a blues band from Shillong. “They played in Surat. I got hooked to the blues and found it was something I wanted to do. Guitarist Floyd Fernandes used to do music clinics here which I attended and since then, it was no turning back.”
A former architecture student, she helps her dad at his office. “But I spend as much time as possible practising and composing music. I’m also listening to a lot of new music and plan to release singles once I master basic production.”
About her goals, Ayushi says: “It’s not about concerts or being well-known. For me, it’s about finding out if I can really play something I hear. Listening to a record and doing it right there. As a musician, that’s what I’m looking forward to.”
