CHENNAI: Walking into the theatre, I never expected to sing along with Motta Maadi Music (MMM). As the show ended, my voice was hoarse from belting out tunes alongside the band. Their unique concept transforms every performance into a communal jam session where the audience is encouraged to join in.
“We started on January 27, 2018. We didn’t want our audience to be mere spectators. We wanted them to be as vibrant as they are on the terrace, so we began performing in auditoriums from May 25, 2019. Volunteers mingled with the crowd and encouraged them to sing along. And it worked,” explains Badhri Seshadhri, who conceived the idea of this band.
It all began on a terrace, where a close-knit group of friends gathered to sing. From these humble beginners, MMM has grown into an international sensation. Originally a five-member ensemble led by Badhri, the team has expanded to nine talented artistes, each bringing their flavour to the band — Haritha on the veena, Ashish on woodwind, Pramodh on lead guitar, Giridhar on rhythm guitar, Sankrith on bass, Clinton on keys, Vignesh on drums, Aditya on percussions, along with Shivaranjani, Gurucharan, Soorya, Sundaram Vasudevan and Badhri as the singers.
As their audience grew, MMM transitioned from terrace performances to auditoriums, which Badhri playfully calls ‘Maaditoriums’. Now, in its sixth year, the band is taking its music global. “This year is exciting. We’ve finished shows in Dubai and are now heading to Malaysia, Singapore, the UK, Europe, and the US from August to November. It’s more of a thiruvizha. We want to take Tamil music on a world tour to celebrate this beautiful language and its music. That’s our focus for the world, bringing a piece of home to those living far away,” Badhri shares. The theme of these international shows is to remind expatriates of the festivities back home, with Tamil film music at the heart of the celebration.
The team had been busy with back-to-back shows in Chennai before embarking on their next international tour. “We are in our sixth year now, but it’s the consistency that matters. When people like something, it’s our responsibility as artistes to maintain that consistency and quality so the audience can recognise us wherever we go. We just keep reminding them regularly that we exist,” says Badhri.
The group tailors their sessions based on audience feedback and preferences. “Usually, we have a mix of songs from various composers to engage everyone. Each audience member has their favourites, so we try to satisfy as many people as possible,” Badhri explains. The MMM team looks forward to more tours, collaborations, and shared musical experiences, aiming to bring joy to as many people as possible.
Badhri has also ventured into producing live art through his new production house, ‘Cut Take Okay’. “The idea is to produce more live arts that deserve stage time and attention. I earned through live arts, so it feels right to invest back into it. We’re also focusing on documentary filmmaking and podcasts through this production house,” he says. This initiative invites young, talented artists to showcase their art forms and gain recognition.
MMM’s upcoming tours in India include cities like Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Coimbatore in July. Despite their growing number of concerts and ambitious projects, MMM remains committed to hosting at least three rooftop concerts a year, as “that is our happy place,” concludes Badhri.
For dates, tickets, and further information about their upcoming shows and events, follow their Instagram pages @mottamaadimusic and @badhriseshadri or Paytm Insider.