With a distinctive voice and a unique blend of different genres, Raghu Dixit has become a household name for many music lovers. Recently, his song Kanna Haniyondhu from the film Love Mocktail received the State award recognition, five years after the film’s release – once again proving art finds its way to the light even after years.
Despite receiving an award for the best playback singer,he credits it to the collective, meaningful contributions that have been made over the years. “The song was composed almost 20 years ago. I don’t take this award for this particular song. Collectively, it all adds up…the little things you’ve done over many years finally amount to the award,” he says, adding, “This is the first government recognition for my work.”
The story behind the birth of the song was anything but conventional, going way back in time. “I first made the song for my band, then it found its way into the film. There were no lyrics written initially. But it fit into the scheme of the film and worked its way into it,” he says.
Despite his recent recognition as a playback singer, Dixit now has chosen to bid goodbye to the film world. “I like making music for films as much as performing on stage but at the same time, rarely you meet people with like-minded professionalism and creative energies. So, if I find something like that, yes, otherwise, in the past five years, I’ve stayed away from films,” he notes.
Signing off as a playback singer, he now enjoys collaborating with other artistes. “I don’t think I have composed any good music on my own. It’s always been collaborative; I love that energy exchange while making music with other musicians. Now, I’m free from the film world, so there is more time to collaborate with musicians from around the world,” he says, adding, “I am a much happier person now.”
His latest album, Shakkar, is a reflection of how deeply-rooted his music is with his journey, in this case, mental health. Despite it being influenced by his state of mind, he says, “It is probably the most positive, most danceable and happiest album I’ve written.”