Sid Sriram Bridges Innovation And Indian Classical Music On ‘Sidharth’

Sid Sriram Bridges Innovation And Indian Classical Music On ‘Sidharth’ Written by Vocalo Radio on March 14, 2024 Sid Sriram transcends geographical boundaries and explores his transnational identity on debut English album Sidharth .  Sidharth .

The Carnatic musician, playback singer, songwriter and producer sat down with Vocalo host Bekoe before his Lincoln Hall performance on March 4 to talk about the album and South Indian cultural influence on his music. Best known as an Indian film playback singer, Sid Sriram’s August 2023 album Sidharth is a bold departure from his usual sound. His first all-English release, the album is a moody blend of R&B and pop with strong elements of Carnatic music, the South Indian sub-genre on which he was trained. Pitchfork described Sidharth as “a nostalgic romp through the diverse traditions that Sriram calls his own, an attempt to reconcile the totality of his transnational musical inheritance.” Sriram musical journey began long before he made his way to the global stage. A first-generation immigrant, Sriram was born into a family deeply rooted in South Indian classical Carnatic music. His mother, accomplished Carnatic music teacher Latha Sriram, started her Bay Area music school in 1992, just one year after the family moved from India to the U.S. Two years old at the time, Sriram grew up surrounded by Carnatic music — and his mother ensured he dedicated a lot of time and practice to perfecting it. “My mom has been a really special pillar of support, knowledge, everything,” Sriram said. “I’m 33 and she continues to teach me. She’s my guru even now.” Sriram’s roots in Carnatic music are reflected in the melodies of Sidharth . The album’s concept came from Sriram’s 2021 spur-of-the-moment trip to Minneapolis amid considerations of moving back to India. Collaborating with acclaimed producer Ryan Olson and Bon Iver virtuoso Justin Vernon, Sriram found himself with 30 song ideas that eventually culminated in 13 soul-stirring tracks. “I’d been making English language music for a minute, kept hitting roadblocks and never really felt like I was having that breakthrough moment creatively,” Sriram expressed. “I made this trip right before I was going to move to India, and the trip changed my whole life.” Sriram is currently on his Sidharth World Tour, traversing across the U.S. and Europe to perform songs from the album. With plans to make new music this year, he continues to bridge the gap between tradition and innovation, exploring new landscapes while honoring his cultural heritage. FOLLOW SID SRIRAM ON INSTAGRAM, AND LISTEN TO SIDHARTH ON SPOTIFY BELOW. SIDHARTH ON SPOTIFY BELOW.

Interview and audio production by Bekoe Filmed by Morgan Ciocca, video edited by Bekoe Written introduction by Blake Hall and Morgan Ciocca More from Vocalo: Fotogalería | Ana Tijoux presentó ‘Vida’ en Metro, Chicago To Actress Christina Jackson, ‘Shirley’ Means Everything Manual Cinema Shines A New Light On Puppetry Y La Bamba’s Luz Elena Mendoza Ramos on ‘Lucha’, mental health and queerness Wrigley Field Announcer Jeremiah Paprocki Is Hosting A Local Late-Night Talk Show