Tiny Desk, global stage
Brunch|June 24, 2023
Carnatic music tends to sound incompatible with R&B, jazz and the Blues. So how did Sid Sriram get it all to blend so well?
Karishma Kuenzang
Tiny Desk, global stage

Remember the fusion wave? When every song seemed to be a mix of genres cobbled together like a hasty, desperate Tinder date?

Indian music has, thankfully, moved on to more stable relationships. In fact, Indian fusion (one kind of it) recently had a showcase at the Tiny Desk Concert. The intimate series, put together by the American media organisation NPR, is possibly one of the internet's most popular music events.

It's recorded in a small room, but it's no small feat. Dua Lipa has played a gig, as have Wu-Tang Clan and BTS. Chennai-born musician Sid Sriram, 33, joined that elite set in May.

Sriram, now based in Minneapolis, performed an original set, with unreleased songs from his upcoming album Sidharth. It blended R&B, Soul and Americana with Carnatic music. The concert has had just under 3 lakh views on YouTube. Among the 700+ comments is one from singer Monica Dogra: "You're amazing". Indian indie musicians such as Kamakshi Khanna have shared it on Instagram.

"I've been in music for over a decade," says Sriram. "My only pursuit is honest expression. That performance was a celebration of it. I wear it as a badge of honour that maybe more people will know what Carnatic music is or look up the term and dive into the beautiful rabbithole that is the form."

Early start

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة June 24, 2023 من Brunch.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة June 24, 2023 من Brunch.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

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