Harmonious melange of Rasika Shekar’s love for folk music

SHIKHA DUGGAL
Rasika Shekar, a singer, flutist, and music composer was praised by Ustad Ghulam Ali Khan recently. She first appeared as a playback singer in movies like Kill Dil and 2 States, as well as singing with Shankar Mahadevan in the Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy composition Dekh Indian Circus. However, her performance as a featured flutist on Ehsaan and Loy’s produced hit Man Patang at MTV Coke Studio season 2 marked a turning point for her. Now she has recently collaborated on a record with American jazz players who have won awards!
The folk performer elaborates in an exclusive chat with us, saying, “It’s been more than a dream. This journey has been filled with amazing encounters that have influenced both my musical style and me. As I explore and compose my own music, the varied experiences and training have cultivated a viewpoint and taste in music that are all coming together. I still enjoy practicing and listening to Carnatic music the best since it has such a strong foundation. Being a classically trained flutist and vocalist who has experimented with different genres has given me a distinct yet well-rounded perspective and exposed me to a wide variety of sounds.”
She recently appeared in the first-ever Indian folk music documentary series on JioCinema called Equals, which showcases episodes of a folk musician and a young, urbane producer working together. Rasika worked with the most experienced and renowned folk musician Prahlad Tipanya on the series! She was one of the series’ featured solo female music producers. She performed as a multi-instrumentalist, producer, composer, and bandleader. “I was more aware of my love for music in my final year of chemical engineering school than ever before. I so found myself debating whether to give it a go and acquire more knowledge before deciding to pursue a career in engineering. I continued to become more and more in love with the various aspects that music has to offer as I made the leap. I wanted to investigate it further since I was so engrossed. Nonetheless, I am incredibly appreciative of my engineering degree. It has equipped me with particular abilities like problem-solving, arithmetic, and analytical thinking, which are useful in the music industry in a special way,” the singer added.
Ustad Ghulam Ali has taught her a great deal about phrasing and improvisation in music. In addition to his musical expertise, she was greatly inspired by his self-control, modesty, and commitment to music! Conversely, “In cinematic projects, you’re filling in to realise someone else’s vision for that song. It is a combination of the music director’s and director’s requirements for that specific track. I believe the strategy needs to be well thought out since you have to strike a balance between adding your own flair and what the song and concept call for. The excitement of playback singing lies in the ability to transform your voice into many personas.”
For her, each and every live performance with Shankar Mahadevan has been a blessing and an education in and of itself for Rasika. From musicality to ways of thinking, creativity to discipline, perseverance to on-stage presence, humility, and so much more, she has seen and learned so much. Being on stage alongside renowned performers offered her a glimpse into some small moments and how to respond to various situations. She has performed and made music in a variety of settings, which has given her the opportunity to try out new techniques.
She promised herself early on in her musical journey that she would experience every aspect of it and immerse herself in each new musical realm that drew her in. There’s a more focused approach now. Although the term “genre” is broad, there are a few sounds and techniques that really appeal to and delight her. Most importantly, she hangs on to the idea that if something emotionally impacts her, it doesn’t matter what genre it is. She thinks it’s critical to be aware of and sensitive to the context.
There is a shared vision when there is teamwork. When it’s music she wrote, the meaning changes! As a result, the balance can move freely. “I learned a lot from one specific performance experience that I will never forget: performing in Spain. An audience that had never heard Indian music before attended the concert. I had no idea what to anticipate. Throughout the performance, I was continually taken aback, and it taught me a lot about the nature of live performances. Each audience is unique, with a pulse and taste that originate from a deeper place that is influenced by its own social dynamics, history, and culture. One of the wonderful things about performing live is that audiences may surprise you in the most exquisite ways.” But there is one thing that she discovered that unites audiences all around the world: sincere music and expressive lyrics have a profound effect on listeners that is difficult to put into words. Whatever the language or genre, that’s what makes music so beautiful!