Sid Sriram has been working his magic, swiftly, since his playback singing debut in Mani Ratnam’s Kadal ( Kadali in Telugu). A slew of bilinguals later, his moment of glory in Telugu film music came with the lilting ‘ Adiga adiga ’ in Ninnu Kori (2017). And the popularity of his recent ‘ Inkem inkem inkem kaavale ’ from Geetha Govindam shows no sign of waning.
Edited excerpts from an interview with the singer:
‘Inkem inkem inkem kaavale’ has been trending for a few weeks. Tell us how you, lyricist Ananta Sriram and music composer Gopi Sundar worked on it.
I was in the US when folks from the Geetha Govindam film got in touch; as soon as I heard the rough track I knew it was something special — from the arrangement to the effortless flow of the melody and lyrics by Ananta Sriram. Director Parasuram interacted with me through the process to make sure I got my pronunciation and accent right. I love Gopi Sundar’s work. The way he has brought different worlds together so seamlessly in the song is amazing. He gave me freedom to breathe my identity into the song. I had a lot of fun recording this song because of its strong Carnatic undertones, I was able to dig in to the melody and give it everything.
This is your second collaboration with Gopi Sundar after ‘Adiga adiga’. How would you look back at that song?
‘ Adiga Adiga ’ was my first pure Telugu song. Huge thanks to Kona Venkat sir for making that happen I love how simple and emotionally riveting Gopi Sundar’s melody is in ‘ Adiga Adiga’ . This song has a special place in my heart. It’s especially cool that the song was for a film starring the amazing Nani and Nivetha Thomas. It’s heartening when a song I’ve sung is received well.
Have you listened to the cover version of ‘ Inkem inkem inkem’ ?
Recently I heard a version of the song played on Nadaswaram. It involved two nadaswaram artists and two tavil artists and was incredible! It shows the power and impact of music. I was so inspired when I saw that video. I retweeted that one and just sent it to director Parasuram ji .
How did you work on your Tamil and Telugu diction? Is Tamil easier than Telugu for you, since your roots are in Chennai?
I was born in Chennai. We moved to the US when I was a year old, but we would come here frequently. So, my Tamil diction is set. Telugu pronunciation is much more challenging, but my roots with Carnatic music gave me some insight into pronunciation. Further, lyricists and directors have been helpful in pushing me to refine my pronunciation.
Are you aware that your Telugu pronunciation comes under the scanner from listeners?
I’m aware and I always make note of constructive criticisms. It gives me room to grow. I can proudly say that my grasp of Telugu pronunciation has grown exponentially from my first Telugu song ‘ Yaadike’ ( Kadali ) to ‘ Inkem inkem inkem kaavale’ ( Geetha Govindam ). I love the language and will work to get better.
Among your recent songs, ‘ Maruvaarthai pesadhey’ for Gautham Menon’s Enai Nokki Paayum Thotta (Tamil) is rooted in Carnatic music. How has your learning of Carnatic music helped your growth as a playback singer?
I owe so much of my musical growth to my exploration and performance of Carnatic music. I started learning when I was three, and it has always been my creative framework. I grew up teaching myself how to sing the R&B/blues genre, so evolving artistically with both forms within me shaped my approach to music. But, Carnatic music allowed me to understand and break down music and internalise it. I practice for two hours a day; this keeps my vocal precision and stamina in good shape. ‘ Maruvarthai’ was an exciting song for me because it showcased my Carnatic roots.
You graduated in music production and engineering from Berklee College of Music in Boston and are adept in both Carnatic and R&B. Can you tell us how this duality helped you evolve a distinct style?
My time at Berklee, studying music production and audio engineering, gave me valuable insight into what it takes to make music, starting from scratch and creating a fully mixed/mastered product. On the surface, being a musician can look pretty glamorous. But so much work goes into it. That’s what Berklee taught me more than anything else — having to take responsibility for one’s trajectory and willing things into existence.
Carnatic music is my creative energy source. It’s a complex and beautiful form of music, and my journey with it will be lifelong. I fell in love with R&B music at a young age. The energy and aesthetic of that genre strike an emotional chord with me.
While I was at Berklee, learning how to make music, I started figuring out how to take my Carnatic foundation and apply it in different contexts; I figured out a way to do it seamlessly. I started refining this process by working on my music. When my hero and guru, AR Sir gave me my first break in Indian cinema with Yadike/Adiye , it was so unique because that song was a mix of Blues and Indian-based music.
Up next in Telugu?
After the recent ‘ Vennela ’ from Neevevaro, I’ve sung ‘ Egiregire’ from Sailaja Reddy Alludu . I look forward to singing more and I can’t wait to do a show in Hyderabad for my Telugu fans. All love.
