For more than 25 years, singer Vijay Yesudas has carved out a career on his own terms. His voice, uncannily similar in timbre to that of his father, singer KJ Yesudas, moves with ease between classical rigour and the fluidity of film music, keeping him relevant through shifting times.
What sets him apart is not just the versatility but also the way he reflects on music. From algorithms to AI, from timeless recordings to the everyday rhythms of nature, he sees music as both tradition and evolution, deeply personal yet universally shared.
He carries the reverence for music to his live sets, embracing it in its pure form. “I thrive on the energy the audience gives me. As I get older, the more amazing it feels to keep doing it, and the adrenaline rush I get now is far more than what I used to get in my 20s. Just that my knees can’t take it as much now,” he quips ahead of rehearsals for his performance on September 3 at National College Grounds, Basavanagudi.
When he started, there was no social media and fast forward to today, he has seen technological advances in recording and distribution transform everything. “The audience then was only fed through radio or newspapers. People no longer buy records or cassettes. They can decide instantly what to listen to from anywhere,” he says. For him, it is a win-win. “What once needed a big record label to travel across India can now be shared worldwide with ease,” he adds.
This sense of openness mirrors the South Indian industry itself. Vijay resists calling it experimentation, describing it instead as an expression of versatility. “Up north, they still stick to some traditional or already tried formulae which work for them. Down here, we just go with our gut and belt it out with everything we have,” the Hodi Maga singer says. Films like Kantara, Aavesham and Romancham capture this spirit, mixing funk, rap and hip hop with cultural roots and hitting it big in the process.
But the future also raises questions, and artificial intelligence (AI) is one of them. Vijay finds AI fascinating, a symbol of human capacity, yet he worries about its pace. “No matter what, AI can never copy the soul of my father or Isaignani’s (Ilaiyaraaja) songs,” he says. “No AI is gonna be able to repeat my feel without me inspiring it. Until I can, I’ll be singing straight from my heart. I might use AI for making my music videos better, but I won’t use it to enhance my voice. I hope I won’t have to ever.”
Music has been a healer for many and Vijay admits it is no different for him. “We all need music in some way or the other to help us at different times. Along with my kids, it’s what has kept me going, and it always will till I stop breathing.” His father’s catalogue is a well he too returns to. Asked if there is one Yesudas song that gives him strength, his response is instant: Many.
If voices could be swapped for a night, he knows exactly where he would begin. “I would swap my voice with my father’s. Even though my voice is similar to his, I would love to know the minute differences that most people can’t catch, which even I struggle to grasp. Then, Frank Sinatra, Rafi Saab and Sonu Nigam.”
Through changing times, evolving technology, and shifting trends, Vijay continues to live and breathe music as he always has - alive and ever-present.