For Arun Sivag aka Arun Shiva Ganesh, beats are his world. The young musician, who did his bachelors degree in World Music Specialisation from University of Gothenburg, Sweden, wants to transform the world of percussion notes. In a tete-a-tete with Tini Sara Anien, the artiste talks about his journey so far.
When did you know that music is what you wanted to do?
I was seven when I met John Devaraj, who was the art director of ‘Malgudi Days’. I met many international artistes during that time which exposed me to varied music. But it was at the age o f 14 that I knew I wanted to take up music seriously.
Music to you is...
Music is an instrument which is used to communicate to people. I see music in everything. If the body doesn’t have a rhythm, things will go haywire.
Your favourite genres...
Latin, African and South American and Country music. I love playing congos and djembe.
What attracts you to Latin-African instruments?
The rhythm, sounds and melodies of the instruments are mesmerising.
The experience of collaborating with different musicians in Bollywood...
I’ve collaborated with the singers Amit Paul, Kumar Sanu, Krishna Kumar, Akriti Kakar and Arijith Singh among many and it was a unique experience. Bollywood is different ball game. The music there is
very commercial and is limited.
If you can change something about the music industry here, what would it be?
There should be no differentiation between classical and folk musicians or metal and folk rock music. We need a classless music-appreciating society.
Your favourite venue...
I have performed in the US, Sweden, France, Italy, Germany, Norway, Japan, Finland, Denmark, Austria and Czech Republic. Out of these, the US is my favourite place to perform at. But India always remains a priority.
Your preferred instrument...
I love the ‘kora’. It is made out of a shell and is a string instrument. It makes the most beautiful sounds one can ever hear. I also like the piano.
Any new projects in the pipeline?
I am trying to create new percussion instruments and sounds. Collaborating with new artistes, electronic sounds and rhythms, is my focus now.
The best rhythm you’ve heard...
A heartbeat.
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