CHENNAI :There is no denying that there is music everywhere — the click-clack of the keyboard, the rustle of leaves, or the incessant horns of vehicles. Similarly, any surface can become a musical instrument too. That’s all it took for Jaysharan to explore the musical world. While some musicians need an organised setup to create tunes, Jaysharan, aka Druminem, can simply use his hands on a random surface to craft a melody.
Whether he’s in a sunlit room, wielding a darbuka, or behind the wheel with music blaring from the radio, the myriad expressions that splash across his face and the astounding tunes he creates remain constant. With thousands of views on each of his videos across Instagram, this young percussionist’s creations are earworms.
The rhythmic journey
A percussionist without any formal training, Jaysharan’s life revolved around discovering melodies in the most unexpected places. Whether it was the rough texture of a brick wall, the Bullet’s tank, or even the sturdy surface of a suitcase, these everyday objects became musical instruments in his hands. While most of us see utensils as tools for cooking, to Jaysharan, they were instruments waiting to be played, thereby finding music in the most unlikely places.
Inspired by the legendary drummer Sivamani, he says, “I was captivated by how Sivamani’s music could lift the mood of the people around him. I always admired his knack for creating music in any given situation.”
Like any other musician, Jaysharan too has an interesting tale to narrate on his foray into music.
While death holds diverse meanings for different individuals, for this musician, it marked the beginning of a new chapter.
“One of my earliest memories from childhood is rushing to my balcony with a utensil in hand upon hearing a funeral procession pass by our home,” he adds. Living on a road leading to a cemetery meant frequent processions accompanied by lively dappankuthu beats, which he tried to mimic with his “instruments”.
“My parents thought that I had something for beats, and their encouragement to share my music through videos awakened the creator within me,” he shares.
Birth of Druminem
“When it came to creating my stage name, I was particular about it being a single word,” Jaysharan shares, recalling his Instagram debut. “As a drummer and an admirer of the rapper Eminem, the moniker ‘Druminem’ naturally grew on me.” He reveals another layer of significance to the name, noting, “I play drums on them,” implying a connection to his musical content. With each video now capturing the attention of the Instagram community, Jaysharan’s journey did not take off immediately. “Initially, back in 2018, my posts didn’t receive much attention or appreciation as of now,” he admits. “However, certain videos, like my cover of DJ Snake’s ‘Taki Taki’, unexpectedly brought in attention, even from the artiste himself.” Looking back on this, along with a recent car cover of the song ‘Valayapatti’ that quickly gained over a million views, Jaysharan recognises it as a big moment in his creator journey.
Apart from his drum kit, one of Jaysharan’s favourite instruments is the darbuka, a traditional Middle Eastern drum, and it is this instrument that has made some of his videos go viral among music enthusiasts. But for him, it doesn’t stop here. One shouldn’t be surprised if they come across a reel of him behind the wheel of his car, tapping out beats in synchrony with the blasting horns and revving engines. “Many of my car videos are unplanned. I love going on long drives, and sometimes, when the sun hits my face just right and a favourite song comes on the radio, I get into the mood to record a video. One of these moments became one of my most popular reels,” he explains.
Life hasn’t always been smooth sailing for this 23-year-old musical genius, who is an electrical engineer by profession. Despite being actively involved in the music scene with regular gigs and performances in the city, his life took a sharp turn in 2022. Losing a portion of his left thumb in an accident paused his musical career as a drummer. “Getting back after this was the biggest change that I faced in my life,” he says. “It made me change my drumming perspective, and I took up getting back as a challenge,” he shares, adding, “This moment made me slow down my life but gave it a good twist.”
Back with his reels and unique creations, it is safe to say that as long as there are surfaces to tap and rhythm to be found, Jaysharan will continue to march to the beat of his own drum.
To check out his works, log onto his Instagram page: @druminem