The soft strains of a song drifted through the evening air last year at the Bengaluru Ganesh Utsava (BGU), as a woman tapped her fingers gently against her saree pallu, lost in the melody, while others around her paused, softened by the familiar tune.
The breezy anthem was carried by singer Vijay Prakash, whose effortless command across genres has long enchanted listeners. This year, audiences are ready to experience that magic once again as he returns to BGU at National College Grounds, Basavanagudi, on September 2, bringing with him the same passion and devotion that has defined his career over the decades.
Reflecting on the diversity of his repertoire, the Singara Siriye singer says, “I feel truly blessed to sing across multiple genres, from film songs to devotional and classical music. For me, everything is music, born from the seven notes, no matter the style. I just want to give my best in every performance. How people remember me is beyond my control but with every piece I create, I aim to give my all, and I will continue to do so.”
While awards and popularity matter, he underscores that true artistic fulfilment lies in getting up each day with the same enthusiasm to create music. “Awards and popularity do matter because they show that people appreciate your work. But beyond that, true success for me is waking up each day with the same passion to create something beautiful in music. The joy of making something new every morning is what I consider true fulfilment.”
Though born into a family of classical musicians, Prakash has always embraced every genre equally. “My parents or the elders never stopped me from hearing other genres of music. I have sung devotional, semi-classical, melodic, and folk dance numbers. In my concerts, I cover every genre, and I’ll continue to celebrate all styles without limiting myself to one.”
His listening habits are just as eclectic. He moves between jazz, ghazal, folk, and classical with ease, letting one style flow into another. Since ‘everything originates from the same seven notes’, he finds the transitions seamless and beautiful.
On switching between his romantic hits like Belageddu (Kirik Party) and Innum Konjam Naeram (Maryan) and devotional or classical songs, he says, romantic songs feel like a conversation with loved ones, full of ease, while devotional or classical music is a dialogue with the divine and with nature. “The shift between these styles happens naturally, the body, mind, and soul find their own rhythm to deliver what each moment requires,” he shares.
Amidst deadlines, travel, and noise, he remains grounded in calm: “If there is peace within, you can find silence even in a busy market. Your inner world determines how noisy the external world feels. If there is cacophony inside, even a meditation hall can feel chaotic. I try to maintain that inner silence so that daily pressures don’t disturb my peace. That calm allows me to create music and connect with listeners with ease.”
On a lighthearted note, when asked to compare his voice to a signature Mysuru (his hometown) dish, he laughs. “I would say chow chow bath. It’s a combination of upittu and kesari bath. My songs are also a mix of sweet and spicy,” Prakash says, likening it to the variety in his music.