BENGALURU: For Varijashree Venugopal, her recent Grammy nomination is a deeply personal achievement; it’s a recognition of her dedication to her craft and her unique approach to bridging Indian classical music with global sounds. “It was really exciting and reassuring,” she says about first hearing the news.
“This kind of acknowledgement is a big pat on the back for any independent artiste, especially when it’s a struggle just to be noticed, both here in India and around the world.” She continues, “It shows that my efforts to find my own voice and bring out my Indian musical roots are being noticed and appreciated. This is just the beginning – there’s so much more to explore.”
The nomination - her first - recognises the city-based flautist and vocalist’s unique contributions to A Rock Somewhere, the song by British singer-songwriter Jacob Collier, which also features sitarist Anoushka Shankar. Reflecting on how the collaboration came to be, Venugopal shares, “When he [Collier] was working on A Rock Somewhere, he wanted to weave Indian sounds into his global track.
Jacob is a rare talent, and I’ve always admired his work. He invited me to be part of the song, so I recorded my part from Bengaluru, sent it to him, and we collaborated remotely, discussing ideas as we went. It turned into a very special song, and I’ll always be glad I was part of that collaboration.”
Her role in the track is distinctive. “I provide vocals but it is entirely non-lyrical. I’ve been exploring this space over the past few years, where I use my voice more like an instrument, weaving a sonic, melodic storyline that brings together the emotional core of the song,” she explains. “So, while I am a vocalist, in this track, I’m more of a ‘vocal instrumentalist.’ I think this was exactly the unique element Jacob wanted, as it brings the essence of Indian singing to the song.”
She further highlights the song’s complex musical structure, which combines Indian classical melody with intricate harmonies. “There’s a lot happening in the song –undercurrents of intricate, almost mathematical structures and harmonies,” she says.
“In Indian classical music, harmony isn’t typically a focus because it’s so highly melodic. So, blending these worlds of harmony and Indian melody was something we discussed. Jacob shared some ideas with me, but there was also plenty of space for me to listen, find my own place in the track, and contribute in a way that kept the song’s intent intact.”
For Venugopal, the Grammy nomination could be a door to further opportunities to bring her Indian roots to global audiences. “I think that’s the whole purpose of recognition from musical communities and institutions,” she reflects.
“They highlight when something new and interesting is happening, especially in a time where there’s so much content out there that it can be hard to know what to explore. Recognition like this is a nod, a signal to the world, that definitely amplifies opportunities for an artiste like me. It puts my work out there, helping people to notice what I’m doing. Without these platforms, it’s easy to remain unseen, doing your own work privately without much visibility.”