“I am one of the guys,” says Neha Nair, the sole girl in the Malayalam alternative rock band Avial. “In fact, after hanging out with them so much, I have started walking like one. While we are out together, I even help the guys check out girls,” she laughs.
All of 22, Neha is on a roll. She is a Carnatic-cum-Hindustani singer who is part of a rock band and she has sung in three movies. Neha’s is the voice behind the melodious Premikkumbol , a duet with P. Jayachandran in the movie Salt N Pepper . The young singer is just back from a celebration in Dubai to mark the completion of a 100 days of Salt N Pepper in theatres.
“I started out playback singing with Chanchalam , a duet with Job Kurien in the movie Rithu . Unfortunately not many people know about the song as it was not part of the movie. It's there on the music CD. I also did a duet with Malayalam composer Alphonse for a Telugu movie Pappu composed by Telugu music director Phani Kalyan. The song is Mayaledi Pilla .”
Music has always been a part of Neha's life. Her father, V. Sasikumar, introduced her to music by enrolling both Neha and her sister, Nisha, in music class. “My father wanted to become a musician but couldn't as his family felt it was not a wise choice of profession, so, he decided to live his dream through us.”
However, while Neha inherited her father's love for music, her sister was more academically inclined. “There was a little sibling jealousy when we were young as I would bring home the prizes. She is, however, my biggest supporter now. She posts every little thing on me, be it music videos or articles to every one she knows.”
Raised in Muscat where her father was employed, Neha came down to the city to do her graduation in music from the Government Women's College and to get a break into the film music industry. “I thought it would be a piece of cake and that I would soon be singing for A.R. Rahman.” She was wrong. She had to send endless demo tapes to several musicians before Rahul Raj finally responded and gave her Chanchalam .
Gaining an entry into playback singing these days is tough, says Neha. “You have so many talented singers being discovered every year courtesy music reality shows that music directors are spoilt for choice. You also have to be determined and promote yourself if you want to sustain yourself in the industry,” says Neha who did a stint as a Veejay on Rosebowl.
“I started off as a Veejay thinking that would help me get a break into the film music industry. Unfortunately, all I got were more veejaying offers. Rosebowl's Outcast Vocals and Piano Sessions with Stephen Devassy were what got me noticed as a singer. While hosting In Conversation Session , I got the opportunity to interview music legends like Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and Sivamani. My producer, Kadamba Rajesh, would sometimes tell the guest musicians that I am a singer myself. Often this would lead to a jamming session. I remember singing a ghazal with Hariharan sir.”
Although trained in Carnatic music, Neha is currently concentrating on Hindustani music. “I feel my voice is more suited to Hindustani music,” says Neha, who is polishing her skills in Hindustani music with Manohar Keskar. Although she had learnt Carnatic music from Ramesh K. in Muscat, she is continuing her training under the tutelage of Perumbavur G. Ravindranath and Western music from Binu. “I love music in all its forms. I love the fact that every piece of music is created from the same seven notes. You take a blues song in Kalyani and a Hindustani bandish in the same rag, it may sound different but the root is the same. The endless possibility in creating something new out of these notes is what fascinates me.”
Blogging her thoughts
Apart from music, Neha also spends time on her blog. A journalism student at the city's Press Club, she enjoys penning her thoughts. “It's usually on what I observe around me.” Ask her if she plans to make a career as a journalist and she replies: “I don't think so. I might freelance though. Music is my life and I want to pursue it in earnest. In fact, I listen to music all the time. Music is my work and my hobby,” smiles Neha who is a fan of Imogen Heap and Bjork.
The young musician who has presented a couple of Hindustani concerts in the city is currently working on an album. “I would like to do something on my own that will showcase ‘me.' I have worked on a couple of songs. They are rooted in the classics but the style of rendition is not classical. Hopefully it will be out soon.”
A foodie, who loves everything except seafood, Neha claims her love for food saw her touch 82 kg when she was in class 10. “Constant workouts at the gym and a strict diet have helped me fight the battle of the bulge.” She still binges on her mom, Usha's rajma, channa and dal preparations. So, does she cook? “I can cook an excellent Maggie! Isn't that cooking?”
