Singer Suchith Suresan does not like to be confined to one genre of music, perhaps why he did not pursue his classical music lessons seriously. “Everything is just pure music, I don’t like genres,” he says over phone from Chennai, where he lives. So, he is a free spirit, then? “That is a big word. I’d say I’m just lazy to stick to one,” he jokes.
Suchith has just finished recording a song for composer Rahul Raj in Sajid Yahiya’s upcoming Jayasurya-strarrer IDI and a Tamil song for Achu Rajamani, waiting for release .
The singer from Thiruvananthapuram, who debuted with Sadhu Miranda (2008) in Tamil, has since then worked his way around the industry and says he enjoys just being in the world of music. He has to his credit a number of songs in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, the most recent ones in Malayalam being ‘Hara Hara’ in Action Hero Biju and ‘Dubai’ in Jacobinte Swargarajyam . Along with films, Suchith has been doing shows under his banner, Suchith Suresan Live.
Excerpts from an interview.
Describe your song in IDI.
I would call “Minnaram Veyilin” a rhythmic melody, slightly up tempo…and I enjoyed singing it. This is the second song I’m singing for Rahul Raj after the popular romantic number ‘Pularumo’ in Rithu .
Why didn’t you want to continue learning classical music?
When I was younger, I studied Carnatic music under Aryanadu Raju and Hindusthani under Ramesh Narayan. But gradually, I found myself looking at music as just music. I didn’t like it when it was regimented. I believe there is music in everything. Music is energy and it floats all around us. Every place has its own music. If your energy is good, it will flow through you. All you need to do is work on your energy.
You have been doing a lot of live shows. How different is the experience of singing live?
I look forward to live shows, as you can connect with the audience instantly. There is nervousness, of course. But we build up to the day with practise.
What kind of music do you listen to?
Anything. Everything. I don’t have a playlist. I usually listen to the Internet radio. I don’t choose what I listen to.
You formed a band, ‘Udaan’, in 2006
We made originals. I used to write my songs and sing them. I used to write the songs in Hindi. Now, when I look back at the songs, I feel I could re-write them.
On composing
Even when I’m not doing anything, I am making music in my head… tunes, arrangements, or I’m tapping my feet. There is always music in my head.
You have sung many songs in Telugu as well in Tamil. Was it difficult to handle the language?
I didn't find Telugu difficult at all. Tamil, on the other hand, was not easy.
What do you feel about your own music?
When you sing for yourself, it always turns out better. I, personally, sing only for myself. As a singer, I like to think I sing for my own pleasure.
If you were to be transported in time to a period of musical history, which would that be?
Oh! The independent musical scene of the 90s. I was hugely inspired by Lucky Ali, Shaan, and bands such as 'Euphoria'. I loved how they wrote and sang their own songs.