Veteran Kannada music director and singer Gurukiran, who has composed music for the latest release ‘Family Pack’ (streaming on Amazon Prime Video), says working with new teams inspires him to compose fresh tunes. In a freewheeling chat, he spoke to Showtime about his works, on how music has evolved over the years, and the current music scene in the Kannada film industry. Excerpts:
How has the Kannada film music industry changed over the years? How have you adapted yourself to it?
The style of recording was tedious back then. We needed a good room. Now, we can manipulate and record a tune in an ordinary room and then re-record it somewhere in London. But we have robust equipment today. When I started my musical journey with V Manohar sir, two-three songs used to get recorded in a day. Today, I require three weeks to record a song while focusing on technicalities. The taste of the audience has changed. Before, people would object if an English word was included in the lyrics of a song. No such criticisms are being faced now. We have readymade loops to create music. However, we need to have the caliber to deliver songs that touch people’s hearts.
Is there something you still wish to explore in your compositions?
Every time I sit to compose a song, I tell myself that this would be my last project. To be honest, I will not know what to compose. But working with a new team inspires me to create fresh tunes.
Do you think up-and-coming singers have a bright future in the industry?
We have many singing reality shows in Kannada in which performers are compared. In those days, the competition was less. People were unaware of new talents. Now, one can attend competitions and start brushing the skills to make a mark in the profession. Several music schools are imparting quality music education. Social media has boomed to help reach music to a wider audience. I composed, invested, and recorded my music alone but was not able to share those on a larger scale. My first album had no buyers. The only worry is the recognition singers get at a young age. They may fade out by failing to handle the fame.