THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: One need not necessarily be a fond follower of Carnatic music to know Bombay Jayashri. Even the populist music aficionados, Jayashri is a household name, thanks to the romantic track ‘Vaseegara’ from hit Tamil movie Minnale. Just like her mellifluous songs, Jayashri appears calm and collected as she recollects her association with the city. She is back in Thiruvananthapuram to take part in Monsoon Music Festival at Nishagandhi.
“Kerala’s culture and tradition are quite different from elsewhere. The people here love music and enjoy music festivals. I performed here on the occasion of Vishu. People appreciate music here,” says the musician.A journey which began in Mumbai, later on, took her to Chennai, where she trained under Guru Lalgudi G Jayaraman who instilled in her the essence of classical Carnatic music.
“When I moved to Chennai, I was thinking to stay for some time, take classes and then move back to Mumbai, my home. But music pulled me and Chennai took over me. This was a great transition period in my life,” says Bombay Jayashri talking about being tutored by one of the maestros of Carnatic music.
But, the love for old Hindi films was alive in her. “From childhood, I have grown up listening to Hindi music of the 60s, 70s and 80s. Listening to the songs of Lataji and Ashaji, I was able to tune into the beauty and the aesthetics of music. My mother and father were also into music,” she said.
Though Jayashri enjoys singing different genres of music in different languages, she is not keen to shift from Carnatic music to other genres.She says, “Every era gives a different kind of music. So, the shift is bound to happen. But, I will always choose Carnatic music as there is so much to learn about this genre. Every day I try to learn something new and different.”
She shares how she was practising ‘Saramati’, a raga in Carnatic music before the interview and how she constantly immerses herself in music. She adds, “ I love all kinds of music and sounds. I love it so deeply that I just float with it.
Bombay Jayashri says how she loves to share music with as many people as possible. With this intention, he began to help children with special needs, including those with autism and Down’s syndrome through her foundation ‘Hitham’. “Autistic children are gifted. They have a special ear for music. We give training in classical Carnatic music. It is not like a regular class. We go on singing and these children keep listening. They learn these songs at a much faster pace than we expect,” says the Carnatic vocalist.