It is often said that small things come in big packages. Artiste Yatharth Ratnum was just 18 years old when he participated in the music reality talent hunt ‘The Stage’.
However his unique vocal range and stage presence have brought him to the top 10 vocalists of the show and now, Yatharth has already garnered a number of fans and is popularly hailed as one of the ‘eye-candy, lover boys’ of ‘The Stage’.
Today, anyone who looks him in the eye can confidently conclude that the rockstar has figured himself out and has his music sorted.
The small-town vocalist, with big dreams in his eyes seems like he had great fun throughout the show and recalls this experience with joy. “We are all a family on ‘The Stage’,” he says, as his smile stretches from ear to ear. His humility strikes a chord as he dedicates all his performances to his hometown, Varanasi.
“I really hope that I set an example for artistes in smaller towns and people are now viewing Varanasi in a different light. It’s not a small town as many think but a seat with cultural prowess. I am so proud to do this for them!”
But it’s not just ‘The Stage’ where he has ‘wowed’ audiences. He dipped his feet into the ocean of music when he began to learn Hindustani classical at the tender age of seven.
His renditions of Bollywood hit numbers shouldn’t be forgotten. It glides along like a softer sibling with all the glitz and glamour that he is receiving now.
He also stole the show at ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil Champs’ in 2009 by walking away with the title of the first runner-up. He took up Western music seriously only after he was invited for an award function in Los Angeles for young international artistes under 18.
So how difficult was it to switch from an Indian classical background to Western music? “It was difficult to find my space and feel at home with Western music initially. Though I struggled with minor aspects such as accent and pronunciation, I found it harder to be comfortable with what I was singing. But now, this is how I want my music to go forward and I don’t see myself going back to Indian classical. However, I would advise any aspiring youngster to start training in Indian classical music as it builds a background like none other.”
For now, Yatharth doesn’t want to take part in another reality show and wishes to continue doing what he does best — write songs and release them. With lyrics rich in emotion and rankling on hope, Yatharth writes about life and situations that are intimate to him as he believes that this is where he is true to himself.
He adds, “Everyday, I am nervous about what is next for me because I am not leading the regular, mainstream life that my friends are. My friends are going to college and posting pictures on Facebook and sometimes, I want to do the same. However, I feel blessed and lucky to entertain people and put a smile on their faces through my music.”
Yatharth has also acted in the movie ‘Blue Mountains’ which has bagged the ‘Best Feature Film Award’ at the Asian Panorma International Film Festival, Hyderabad and is excited about its release next year.
Published 22 November 2015, 15:57 IST