JOIN US'I wanted a very creative life'
At the age of 27, vidwan Abhishek Raghuram, a Carnatic vocalist, has many laurels to his credit.
He has been selected for this year’s ‘Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar Award’
presented by the Sangeet Natak Akademi.
Earlier, he had also bagged the ‘Senior Outstanding Vocalist Award’ presented by the Music Academy, Madras.
The young singer carries forward a rich musical lineage. He is the grandson of popular Carnatic musician and percussionist Palghat Raghu and his mother is the niece of legendary Carnatic violinist Lalgudi Jayaraman.
He says, “It's a blessing to be in the family of such talented people. I have learnt from each one of them in my own way.”
So does he feel the pressure to live up to the family’s name? Abhishek says, “More than a responsibility, it’s the passion that drives me. It is very inspiring to be part of my family.”
His music has been called food for the ‘intellect, mind, heart and soul,’. About this, he says, “It's an endless journey. There are different parameters for performances. Different kinds of audience enjoy and perceive music in different ways. And I am always in the process of learning various things from them.”
Abhishek travels extensively and has held a lot of shows abroad. Ask him whether connecting with the foreign audience through classical music is a challenge and he says, “My music is successful when I can reach to people only through music, without them understanding the lyrics. It is satisfying to know that I have reached to them when they enjoy my music.”
Abhishek, however, says that he enjoys performing to people who appreciate music irrespective of the area or region.
The young singer reveals that he listens to a lot of genres of music but has no particular favourite.
Though Abhishek hails from a musically rich family, the decision to follow his passion was not accepted easily. He recalls, “I quit my higher studies when I realised doing a regular nine-to-five job was not my cup of tea. I could not live with systematic and patterned life. I wanted a very creative life.”
“I knew I wanted to do something in music and I had made my decision. However, making my parents understand what I was interested in was not easy. It was tough for them to come in terms with my decision. But today, they are happy with my performances and they have come to believe in my capabilities,” he adds.
He admits that he has little time for other things. He says, “I do not get time to indulge in any activities or hobbies. When I am not practising, I listen to music.” With a lot of opportunities coming his way, he feels it is very motivating to work.
“I like this phase of my career. I only want to keep performing well and make the best of the opportunities that are coming my way,” he signs off.