When singer-songwriter Anisha Lakshmanan talks about her upcoming gig at Bay 146 in Savera Hotel, she doesn’t hide the fact that it’s a special show for her. “I literally grew up in that hotel, because my dad was in the Rotary Club. My first performance might have been during one of their annual functions,” she says. But next Friday’s show is special for another reason. “I’m going to have family there, people who have seen Anisha the person, but not Anisha the musician.”
The now Mumbai-based Lakshmanan also says her entire tour — promoting her debut EP Of Many — has been designed with her hometown in mind. “I’ve not been in the city since 2014. [The set list includes] a lot of funk, a lot of jazz, some interesting takes on Bollywood songs... but I also like covering Indian artists like Funktuation,” says the 27-year-old trilingual singer-songwriter.
Diversity rules
As a musician, there is a lot to unpack about Lakshmanan. She studied Hindustani Classical at Pune University at an undergrad level, and then travelled to Berklee College of Music, Valencia, Spain for her Master’s degree. This diverse background in music education certainly shows on Of Many , which features songs in Tamil (‘Kadhal Idhu Thana’), Hindi (‘Piya Mora’, which was written about her late father, from the perspective of her mother) and soulful English (‘Stranger in a Mask’). Her music runs from groovy fusion on ‘Raahi/Naadodi’ to ballad pop on ‘My World’.
To add to the diversity, the songs feature musicians from 16 countries, making the best of the teeming talent at Berklee. “There were so many sensibilities and artistic influences from people all over the world and I think that contributes to the sound of the EP. It was very organic,” she says. It has also been a varying experience to take the music live. What originally was a duo is now a full-fledged band that aims to translate the sonic diversity of the EP into a different, but wholesome, experience. Lakshmanan says, “I like for my music to not be about just me but also about the musicians I play with. Even if the musicians change, the music changes with them. I like for every artist to bring their best to the music,” she continues.
That said, she does reveal that her band has so far seen a revolving door of musicians. “I think in the span of six months, I’ve had five different drummers, three pianists, five guitarists and two bass players,” she adds with a laugh.
The band currently features Mumbai musicians such as Siddhant Vetekar on bass, Subid Khan on guitar, Siddhant Patra on drums and Smarajeet Bhattacharya on keys. “These people have really made the music their own,” concludes the singer.
Anisha Lakshmanan performs at Bay 146 on May 17, 9 pm onwards, supported by The Worst Case Scenario. Entry at ₹750, fully redeemable.
