Dr Nithyasree Mahadevan to perform in Bangalore on Nov 23

You don’t need to be a lover of Carnatic music to recognise Dr Nithyasree Mahadevan, who’s going to perform in Bangalore tomorrow.

The singer, granddaughter of late Padmavibhushan DK Pattammal and mridangam maestro Palghat Mani Iyer, spoke to DNA, just ahead of her concert in the city.

How do you choose concerts you want to perform in?
I am not a choosy person at all. Choosing a concert depends on dates. Also, if I have been performing continuously, I prefer to give my voice rest. Then, there are a few places, a few regular sabhas where I love to perform every year. I am really not choosy, I regretfully say no to concerts only when the dates don’t permit. 

In the current scene, there are quite a lot of classical concerts being held. Are the audiences today classically aware?
I see more of a middle-aged audience, aged 40 and above attending classical concerts. There are youngsters too, even more surprisingly, I see children coming for my programmes. Now, about how knowledgeable they are about classical music, in my short span as classical singer for 25 years, I think the number of people who know Carnatic music is becoming fewer. Listeners in metros are quite aware of the music but overall, people today don’t want to listen to core classical music alone. 

Do you prepare a list of songs and rehearse before a concert?
Never! And talking about the Bangalore audience, I’ll say, Bangalore’s rasikas are among the most open. They are not biased at all. Listeners in Bangalore, Bombay and needless to say, Chennai, enjoy the concerts and I enjoy performing in front of them. I never prepare one. I decide the songs I am going to be singing, after I get onto the stage.

You sang for Apthamitra. How was the experience and what has the response to the song been?
I sang Raa, raa… for the Kannada film Apthamitra. The experience was really nice and I must thank (music director) Gurukiran for giving me the chance. In fact, even people who don’t know the ABC of Carnatic music are delighted with the song and tell me so.

Are you singing for any films now? Which songs do you rate as your favourite?
I do very few film songs. I can’t choose any favourite because I treat each song of mine like my child.

What are the songs you get frequent requests for?
At kutcheris, there are around a dozen songs that the rasikas request for. Ragathil sirantha ragam ethu? is one; they also request for my grandmother (DK Pattamal’s) song Mamava Pattabhirama. Kaana Aayiram Kann vendum is another audience favourite.