‘The criticism I get for my American accent keeps me grounded’

Singer Sid Sriram, who made a name for himself among music lovers in Tollywood in a short span of time, has a major surprise in store for his fans. Riding high on the success of his debut LP, Entropy, the Inkem Inkem Kavaale sensation says, “I am working on a multi-lingual album and it will have a few Telugu songs in it. Though it’s a little too early to divulge specific details, I assure my Telugu fans that they would love it.”

Sid, who was in Hyderabad recently for a performance, confesses that he loves it in the city. “I feel loved and welcomed every time I visit Hyderabad. Sadly, I haven’t got enough time to explore the city. I really want to know the city better and hopefully this year, I will stay for at least a week to feel connected,” says the singer, whose hits like Maate Vinadhuga has made him a household name in the Telugu states.

Sid, whose tryst with music began when he was just four years old, says the learning never stops. “I was trained in

Carnatic music

from a very young age and that gave me a strong musical foundation. But even today, I am learning. I practise daily for about three hours and it gives me the vocal stamina and preps me up for the rest of the day,” adds Sid, who has previously worked with the ‘Mozart of Madras’ AR Rahman.

“I gravitated towards Rahman sir’s music since I was a child. So, when I finally got to work with him, it was like a validation that my musical career is on the right track,” he says, adding that Rahman taught him to be always curious and hungry to learn more. “Rahman sir has taught me things that are beyond music. He is an epitome of humility and confidence and has always encouraged me to push my boundaries,” he avers. Though born in Chennai, Sid grew up in the US and seemingly has an American accent, which he says, initially did create some problems for him. “As I grew up in the US, I have a thick American accent and sometimes it does kick in when I sing. Though Tamil is my mother tongue, at times I need guidance to bring out the perfect diction and pronunciation when

singing

songs in the language,” he informs. In the past, the 29-year-old has been criticised for the same but he has taken all of that in his stride and says that “it was rather a blessing in disguise”. “Even recently I received some criticism for my diction but I believe that’s what keeps me grounded and pushes me to perfect my art,” says the producer-cum-singer songwriter.

When asked how he juggles his time between his film commitments, original compositions and Carnatic vocals, Sid credits each one of the three in making him who he is today. “While playback singing has moulded by career, my originals have helped me hone my skills. Singing Carnatic music has polished my craft further. I put in my everything in the originals and I connect to Carnatic music on a spiritual level,” he opines. Sid doesn’t like to limit himself to a particular film industry and is open to take up Bollywood projects as well. “I will doing all kinds of music as long as I feel I have a connection with it. However, I am looking to do more film songs that deal with subjects other than love and heartbreak.”