Based in Bengaluru, violinist Apoorva Krishna’s journey into music started with a deep foundation in Carnatic music. Having trained under Lalgudi Srimathi and Anuradha Sridhar, Krishna is known for compositions that blend Indian music with western forms through improvisation. Reflecting on her upcoming seven-track album ‘Only Love is Real’, she says, “Although I can express more pristinely on the violin due to years of practice, there’s something different when it comes to the voice. It makes me feel like I am being even more true to myself.”
Interestingly, the album includes a tribute track to the late musician Zakir Hussain. “I’m doing a second version of my old song Merging Parallels for one of my biggest inspirations, Zakir Hussain. He told me that he loved that song and wished that I had created another version,” says the 29-year-old.
Recounting the beginnings of her trajectory at Berklee College of Music, USA, Krishna shares, “I started getting exposed to many other cultures, worlds of music, and backgrounds coming together in a common space. It’s like a conversation.”
Having travelled extensively for her work, Krishna also noticed that her music is influenced by the spaces she encounters. Narrating the process of creating Skyline Drive for her new album, she says, “It was recorded on Aaron’s (Sinclair) roof; he lives in the mountains on a street called Skyline Drive.”
Encouraging multiple collaborations in her work, she finds this process transcending the boundaries of musical technicality. “Fusion is a word for bringing things together. The intention was more like ‘I’m a musician and a person who enjoys everything.’ It’s just a sound of ours that we’re trying to be honest about,” she notes.