Blending versatility with an ever-evolving creative vision, Vedala Hemachandra has carved a distinct space for himself across playback singing, music direction, and dubbing in the Indian entertainment industry. From lending his voice to memorable tracks like Fidaa title track, Evaro Evaro, Dosti, and the Pelli SandaD title track, to bringing characters alive as a dubbing artist for actors like Ajay Devgn in RRR, Vivek Oberoi in Dhira, and Jim Sarbh in Kuberaa, among the rest, his journey reflects both range and reinvention. Ahead of his performance at Urban Maya Bazaar on April 4, the singer speaks with CE about his evolving artistic identity, his growing focus on the Telugu indie music scene, and more.
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What can the audience expect from the show?
Every artist talks about their songs and performances, but I want to take a slightly different route. These days, I’m focusing a lot on Telugu independent music. I’ve introduced a segment in my shows where I bring in an indie artist who isn’t widely known. In my previous show at Heart Cup Coffee in Gachibowli, I introduced an artist named JD. This time, it will be another artist — a Telugu rapper who already has some recognition — performing his indie track.
Does performing in Hyderabad come with a different kind of pressure or freedom?
At home, you’re naturally more relaxed. Hyderabad has always been very special to me. When I returned from Sa Re Ga Ma Pa in 2005, the city welcomed me warmly, and that set the tone for my journey. It has been a long road — from songs and shows to reality TV, anchoring, and dubbing — and I’m grateful to still be sustaining in this era. The city has given me so much, and now it’s time to give back.
What kind of experience are you building for this show?
I want people to reconnect with their teenage or childhood memories — especially millennials, who will have a bomb time. It will be a mix of nostalgia and a vibrant, emerging independent music scene.
How do you keep your stage presence evolving?
I think audiences connect with me because I’ve consistently tried to stay authentic. If I continue being myself, that’s enough. They enjoy the musicality and the conversational aspect of my shows — it’s almost like a semi stand-up comedy layered into a performance. At the same time, I keep experimenting. Ultimately, audiences come for the experience — the music and the memories attached to it.
After two decades, how do you look back at your journey?
I feel immense gratitude to the audience, the music directors, and everyone I’ve worked with. My career has been extremely diverse. I don’t even know how to define myself anymore — a singer, dubbing artist, anchor, or composer. Maybe ‘music entrepreneur’ is the right term. That’s what the audience has made me. Now, I want to use that identity to nurture new talent and support indie artists.
Does dubbing offer a different kind of creative satisfaction compared to playback singing?
Dubbing gives me a unique thrill because I get to watch films in their raw form. That itself is exciting, as I’m seeing something before the audience does. The second level of satisfaction comes from being part of the creation process. Dubbing is about building a film, while playback singing is about building a song. Both are different, yet equally fulfilling in their own way.
Could you tell us about HCIndiefied?
HCIndiefied stands for Hemachandra Indified. It’s an indie platform where artists can showcase their music and build their identity. I work with them on strategy and growth. So far, the focus has been on building a community around Telugu indie music. In the coming months, we’ll start releasing content as well. Essentially, it’s an effort to create a structured ecosystem for independent artists in Telugu.
What’s next?
There’s a lot of indie work lined up. Over the past two years, I’ve worked on several shows, EPs, and projects that have already been shot and executed. All of them will start releasing this year. Everything I’m doing is aligned with one vision — I want to see Telugu music go global.