CHENNAI: She swears by two things — veena and lord Venkateshwara. She calls her talent for music and recreating any song into an instrumental a blessing. Meet Veena Srivani, a young musician who is a social media sensation. She was recently in the city to perform at Veenaliza by Medhams Production, a fundraiser for children with cancer. The charity show, which was Srivani’s first commercial performance, had a variety of songs like the now trending Jimmikki Kammal to classical and semi-classical numbers. Excerpts follow.
Tell us something about your musical journey.
I started learning at a very young age. My parents wanted me to learn something and asked me to learn the veena. I learnt from P Seetha Mahalakshmi. I used to stay at her house and she used to treat me like a daughter. She did not impart musical knowledge for money. She moulded me to what I am. I consider her my god.
How did you come up with the idea of playing popular numbers on veena?
Would you believe I did not know about Facebook or WhatsApp a year and half go? My husband and my friends encouraged me to start a Facebook page and post my songs there as they love what I play on the veena. I first posted a song from Thalapathi, Kaatukuyilu in Tamil (Singarala Pairullona in Telugu). It became a hit and followers on my page started suggesting songs from other languages. Hence I started playing songs from Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Gujarati, Malayalam and English.
Now that you are a social media star, what do you think of the medium?
It is definitely a blessing especially if you are talented. It has given me a platform. Initially, we had to struggle and get recognition. Now it is all a click away. If you have talent, there is a medium to help you reach heights.
Is it tough to incorporate non-classical songs in the veena?
I find it very easy as I used to play since childhood. When I was doing my certification course in music at Vijaya Sankara Government Music College, Rajahmundry, I was the youngest in the class, which had all elderly people. During free time they would ask me to play their favourites and in return gave me a chocolate. So I actually started paying more songs only for those chocolates (laughs). If I hear a song once, I make my own notes and can play it immediately. People ask me how I play it without knowing the language. I say, I just have to understand the emotions of the tunes.
Did you face ay criticisms for incorporating film songs in veena?
Initially yes. But now it is the elderly who are fans of my songs. They find it relaxing. Also, we are living in a time where if the audience do not like something they tell it upfront. You have to make music to suit the audience’s taste. In fact lot of people are now taking to Indian classical instruments. Veena was initially considered an old and devotional instrument. Now, however, there are no such barriers.
Follow Veena Srivani’s fusions on her FB Page
