Even if you haven’t heard the name Suresh Peters, you would’ve heard his music for sure. The music director and rapper/singer is a childhood friend of AR Rahman and Shivamani. Active since 1990, he is the voice behind iconic hits like ‘Urvashi’, ‘Hamma Hamma’ and ‘Chikku Bukku Rayile’. “I knew I wanted to be in the music industry since I was in school,” says Suresh. He started off through collaborations with AR Rahman and made a name for himself with ‘Urvashi’.
“The song was a hit because of the collaboration of multiple talented artists, and I just think I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time,” he says.
His foray into music direction came in 1998 with ‘Punjabi House’, a Malayalam film. He has since worked across industries and says it’s impossible to pick a favourite.
“Each industry has its own culture and its own kind of sound,” he says. Even when he’s been called upon to work on the music for remakes of the same film, the process has varied.
“The pulse of the people in each state is different and you have to understand it to make something that will appeal to them,” he says.
Apart from the industry and it’s sensibilities he says the factor he pays most attention to is the story of the film.
“The story drives the music. But at the end of the day the director is the captain of the ship and I work in tandem with him to achieve his vision,” says Peters.
He is settled in Bengaluru and is largely kept busy by his music school.
At ‘Purple School of Music’ he guides youngsters through the process of electronic music production. “I see this as a way to pass on my legacy and make sure it grows,” says Suresh.
Catch him live at the Good Shepherd Auditorium on Residency Road on November 1. The concert, which features singers from Bangalore’s Best, a collection of talented singers across the city, is being conducted to raise funds for the iconic St Mark’s Cathedral.
Donor passes are priced at Rs 500, Rs 1,000, Rs 2,000 and Rs 5,000. Tickets are available at the Fiesta Office, St Mark’s Cathedral.
For more information, contact Robinson 99169 09247 or Col Prem 98459 96569.