Queen of a lilting voice which can sail smoothly over classical or fall-rise unexpectedly in western, young singer Indu Nagaraj has been adding colourful feathers to her vocal talent with many awards including the coveted Filmfare (Best Female Playback Singer-South) and more recently, the Radio Mirchi award (Best Upcoming Singer-South) for the path-breaking hit song ‘Pyaarge Aagbitthaite... from the film ‘Govindaya Namaha.’
Born in a musically-inclined family to Vidwan C.A. Nagaraj (English Lecturer, Maharani Govt. PU College, Mysore and renowned vocalist & flautist) and H.S. Radha, Indu began her musical journey at a tender age of two years. Her initial training began with her grandmother late Vidu. C.S. Satyalakshmi and later under her father. She gave her first performance at five and first recorded music programme in DD and AIR at the age of 7.
She has given hundreds of concerts with her sister and well-known singer Lakshmi Nataraj and bagged State Award as Chilkunda Sisters. The sisters came into limelight with the winning of popular TV shows like ETV’s ‘Ede Thumbi Haaduvenu,’ Zee TV’s ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ etc. Her talent has been suitable recognised with numerous awards including Aryabhata award, 92.7 Big FM Promising Singer State Award, Udaya Film Award (Best Female Playback Singer) etc.
Always busy hopping from recording studios to music concerts, Indu Nagaraj took out time to chat with ‘SOM’ on her tryst with microphone:
Star of Mysore: ‘Pyaarge Aagbitthaite...’ is a retro-rock and you come from a classical background.
Indu Nagaraj: All film songs have a classical base. Thus if you have a strong foundation in classical music, it will be easier to sing any type of song, whether it’s retro-rock or sugama sangeetha. Hence, I did not find it difficult to sing the song.
Shwetha: You recently received the prestigious Filmfare award and the Radio Mirchi award for the song. Did you expect the song to bring you so many laurels?
Indu: No. But I am very happy for receiving the awards and the recognition.
Shwetha: How did your journey in playback singing begin?
Indu: Since childhood, I have been singing classical and sugama sangeetha songs. I first got a chance to act in ‘Minchu’ serial of T.N. Seetharam. Music Director Hamsalekha gave me a chance to sing a song (Ninna nenape nanna haadu) for Seetharam’s film ‘Meera Madhava Raghava.’ From then on, I have sung for about 20 films in Kannada including ‘Olave Vismaya,’ ‘Paraari,’ ‘Yuva,’ ‘Nee Tata Naa Birla,’ ‘Bachchan’ etc., and the recent Telugu film ‘Potugadu.’
Shwetha: Your future plans?
Indu: There are lots of opportunities in the music field, especially in playback singing. Apart from that, I am also singing for albums, both folk and devotional songs.
Shwetha: What, according to you, is your voice best suited for?
Indu: I believe it’s classical. But I would love to sing in any style of music, be it retro, classical, rock or any other form.
Shwetha: What do you feel about borrowing playback singers from other languages to Kannada film industry?
Indu: I believe there are many local talents who, given the opportunity, have the ability to do justice to their singing. Kannada film industry should first give chance to the singers here; they too can sing well like those from other languages.
Shwetha: Finally, who is the music director in Kannada you can comfortably work with?
Indu: I have worked with almost all music directors in Kannada filmdom and I have enjoyed it. Each have their own styles.
Born in a musically-inclined family to Vidwan C.A. Nagaraj (English Lecturer, Maharani Govt. PU College, Mysore and renowned vocalist & flautist) and H.S. Radha, Indu began her musical journey at a tender age of two years. Her initial training began with her grandmother late Vidu. C.S. Satyalakshmi and later under her father. She gave her first performance at five and first recorded music programme in DD and AIR at the age of 7.
She has given hundreds of concerts with her sister and well-known singer Lakshmi Nataraj and bagged State Award as Chilkunda Sisters. The sisters came into limelight with the winning of popular TV shows like ETV’s ‘Ede Thumbi Haaduvenu,’ Zee TV’s ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ etc. Her talent has been suitable recognised with numerous awards including Aryabhata award, 92.7 Big FM Promising Singer State Award, Udaya Film Award (Best Female Playback Singer) etc.
Always busy hopping from recording studios to music concerts, Indu Nagaraj took out time to chat with ‘SOM’ on her tryst with microphone:
Star of Mysore: ‘Pyaarge Aagbitthaite...’ is a retro-rock and you come from a classical background.
Indu Nagaraj: All film songs have a classical base. Thus if you have a strong foundation in classical music, it will be easier to sing any type of song, whether it’s retro-rock or sugama sangeetha. Hence, I did not find it difficult to sing the song.
Shwetha: You recently received the prestigious Filmfare award and the Radio Mirchi award for the song. Did you expect the song to bring you so many laurels?
Indu: No. But I am very happy for receiving the awards and the recognition.
Shwetha: How did your journey in playback singing begin?
Indu: Since childhood, I have been singing classical and sugama sangeetha songs. I first got a chance to act in ‘Minchu’ serial of T.N. Seetharam. Music Director Hamsalekha gave me a chance to sing a song (Ninna nenape nanna haadu) for Seetharam’s film ‘Meera Madhava Raghava.’ From then on, I have sung for about 20 films in Kannada including ‘Olave Vismaya,’ ‘Paraari,’ ‘Yuva,’ ‘Nee Tata Naa Birla,’ ‘Bachchan’ etc., and the recent Telugu film ‘Potugadu.’
Shwetha: Your future plans?
Indu: There are lots of opportunities in the music field, especially in playback singing. Apart from that, I am also singing for albums, both folk and devotional songs.
Shwetha: What, according to you, is your voice best suited for?
Indu: I believe it’s classical. But I would love to sing in any style of music, be it retro, classical, rock or any other form.
Shwetha: What do you feel about borrowing playback singers from other languages to Kannada film industry?
Indu: I believe there are many local talents who, given the opportunity, have the ability to do justice to their singing. Kannada film industry should first give chance to the singers here; they too can sing well like those from other languages.
Shwetha: Finally, who is the music director in Kannada you can comfortably work with?
Indu: I have worked with almost all music directors in Kannada filmdom and I have enjoyed it. Each have their own styles.
