Sid Sriram performing at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club in California. Photo Credit: Amy Harris

Sid Sriram has been singing Tiruppugazh since he was nine years old, which was taught to him by his mother. Little did he know that one day, he would be singing it on a completely different stage, for a largely Western audience.

The US-based singer’s Tiruppugaaz song ‘Sivanar Manam Kuliera’ at the Coachella festival in California became a rage, and his Instagram video clip went viral. He says, “This poem has been written by the poet-saint Arunagirinathar, and is dedicated to Murugan. I usually perform it in my shows, and when I got the chance to perform at Coachella, I didn’t hesitate to include it. I am sure this is the first time that a Tamil song has been sung in this popular festival.”

Sid Sriram starts his Coachella performance with Ganesh invocation song Photo Courtesy: Vithu Photography

Shri Ram started his performance with Ganesh Mangalacharan ‘Vakratunda Mahakaya’. “Although the rest of the set consisted mainly of songs from my recent English album Siddharth, I felt it was important to tell the world about my strong roots. The peace and awe that followed both prayers was incredible. It was a special moment, showing that people from different backgrounds can communicate universally through music.

At Coachella, Sriram says that he got a great response for the songs ‘Do the Dance’ and ‘Dear Sahana’ from the album. “Even the song ‘The Hard Way’ was well received. I also performed my next single ‘One Day God’. It’s an ambient soul song, my way.

Sid Sriram performing Carnatic concert at Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha in Chennai. Photo Courtesy: SR Ragunathan

Sriram was born in Chennai in 1990 and his parents moved to Fremont, California when he was one year old. He started learning Carnatic music from his mother when he was three years old. He was introduced to Western music when he was seven years old, initially while listening to jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter on the radio. Finding similarities between Carnatic singing techniques such as Gamaka and Western improvisation, Sriram worked on blending the two.

She also got her early break in film music, when music director AR Rahman gave her the Tamil song ‘Adiye’ in the 2013 film. Kadal, He was then 23 years old and recorded many film songs. Her biggest hit, of course, was the Telugu song ‘Srivalli’ with composer Devi Sri Prasad in the 2021 film. Pushpa: Rise, He has also composed the soundtrack for Mani Ratnam’s 2020 Tamil film Vaanam KottattamWhich includes the hit ‘Kannu Thanagom’.

Released last August, Siddharth This is Sriram’s second album after entropy five years ago. did a special show focusing on the songs of Siddharth At the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Center (NMACC), Mumbai in November. He says, “I was pleasantly surprised by the response, given that many people in India know me for my South Indian film music. But after I sang English songs in the big auditorium, two months later I did a pure Carnatic concert in the small venue of NMACC.”

On his last visit to India, he spent time recording new film songs in Chennai. These also include ‘Ae Pulla’ with Rahman Red bastardM (Tamil), with music director GV Prakash for ‘Netru Varai’ siren (Tamil), ‘Nandanandana’ with Devi Prasad The Family Star (Telugu) and ‘Madam Sir Madam Ante’ with Kalyan Nayak Maruti Nagar Subramaniam (Telugu).

He has also been performing during the December season in Chennai for more than two decades. Asked if he changes his approach to the Carnatic music audience, he says, “I have moved beyond the stage where I keep thinking about the perception of my music. I give my best and for me the opportunity to be on any stage comes as a blessing.

His dream of a concert will come true when he performs at the Sydney Opera House in late May. He says, “Melbourne will also be included in our Australian tour. Sydney is one of the most iconic places in the world and I’m looking forward to that experience. There are several solo shows coming up in the US later this year.

Apart from concerts, he is also working on new English songs. “I learned many new things while working together Siddharth, I want to go even further on my next releases. I am working on some cross-cultural collaborations and will announce them at the appropriate time,” he concluded. His fans are waiting.