Tiny Desk, global stage

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

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