Singing seems to have been destined for him. The first time Karthik met the redoubtable A R Rahman, he was told by the latter to pursue a career in singing. That statement, coming from his idol, was enough to convince Karthik to give up his dream of a corporate career and start learning music again.
After many chorus parts and backing vocals, Karthik is now widely acknowledged as a fitting solo voice. Although he did well with Chori pe chori (his duet with Asha Chosle for Saathiya), it was ‘Behka’ from Ghajinithat made Bollywood take notice of the promising singer. In an interview, the singer whose trained in several music styles, expresses his keenness on working with Bollywood composers, contributing to an IPL album and shifting to Mumbai. How did you get a break in playback singing? Since my school days, I have been a great fan of A R Rahman. Singer Shrinivas happens to be my friend’s cousin, and I realised the only way I could meet Rahman was through him. So I thought, ‘Why not meet him?’ When Rahman and I met, he asked me to sing a few lines. After hearing me sing, he appreciated my talented and suggested that I pursue a career in singing. I was completely shocked to hear that from him. His statement changed my life; I began taking classical lessons again. At one point of time, Rahman wanted a fresh voice so Shrinivas called me and I recorded for the song’s chorus. That is how my career began. For how long did you have to struggle in the industry before you got your first solo number? I have done choruses and backing vocals for many songs and I love it. It teaches you a lot. Also, when Rahman got to know about me, he promoted me very well. I have had the chance to sing in nearly all his films, whether Tamil or Telugu. Everyone has been calling me to sing. So I would say that god has been kind to me and I did not have to struggle too much. Which was your Bollywood break as a playback singer? I sang for the film Pukar, starring Anil Kapoor, but the song was not used in the movie. Tell us about the training you have undergone. At four, I started learning Carnatic music. But I quit after a year because I was too shy to sing. About 10 years later I enrolled at the same place again, revised the whole thing and then started learning Urdu ghazals from Munna Shaukat. Then suddenly, I got inclined towards Hindustani sangeet so I learnt that too from Shriram Parsuram. I trained under him for many years and I think that is what shaped my career in singing. Have you ever recorded for a song only for it to be given to another singer later? Yes, and I even felt that it was my best song ever. I had sung the track ‘Apne Des Ki Mitti’ for the movie Bose. But when the audio CD released, I found Sonu Niigaam’s voice on the track. I was shocked but I realised that Sonu could hit the high notes really well and probably that’s why he was asked to do it. One has to learn from these experiences and move on. If not a singer, what would you have been today? I have a degree in chartered accountancy and had always wanted to be in the corporate world. But singing was my passion so I got attracted to this field. I would have been working as a CA had a career in singing not worked out. You have worked with several South Indian music directors but no one from Bollywood. Why is that? I want to work with everyone in this industry. See, as my career started with regional songs, I worked with these directors. But now, I have done a few songs with Bollywood directors as well. I worked on the film 13B with Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. I sang the track ‘Chhote Se Shahar Mein’. I have many more projects coming up but I can’t give out the names because they are still being recorded. Which of your solo songs do you think has left its mark in the industry? I would say it is ‘Chori Pe Chori’ from Saathiya, which I sang with Asha Bhonsle. As for my solo songs, ‘Behka’ from Ghajini was a big hit that made me popular in the industry. I got a few offers after ‘Behka’. Even though your songs are popular with the public, they do not know the singer behind them. Do you think it is tough for new singers to become known faces? I agree with that but I think that one needs to constantly churn out hits for him/her to come into the spotlight. I know that media interaction is also very important, and that’s why I am planning to shift base to Mumbai. Who do you think is your toughest competition? There is no threat or competition but I love Sonu Niigaam and Sukhwinder Singh. Naresh Iyer too is a very good singer. Singing is my passion as well as my job so I feel that it is better if I just sing my song and do my work rather than try to compete. Have you ever had a clash of opinions with a music director? No. I don’t think it’s my business. Today’s music directors are very supportive and cooperative; they listen to singers’ views. You are a trained classical singer. Do you feel that this type of music is losing ground amongst the new generation? There are people who love classical music. Right now, it’s just the generation gap and changes in taste. Just as trends make a comeback, musical trends are also cyclical. Many people say that rock bands are dying. But they are not dying; people are just discovering other styles in music such as jazz. It’s an individual choice I believe. Which one do you prefer – playback singing or live shows? Each has a charm of its own. At a live show, you get a reaction from the crowd and with playback, the whole world listens to your songs. How many takes do you need to record a song? On a good day, everything falls into place and you can finish your recording in 45 minutes or an hour. But sometimes, things don’t go as planned. Your throat may not be clear and there is nothing that you can do. Fortunately, now there are many plug-ins you can use to clear your voice. What kind of music do you love listening to? All kinds of music, irrespective of the language. As an established playback singer, what message would you send out to a struggling singer? Work hard, believe in yourself and learn singing. Even if you are talented, riyaaz is very important. Last year, you sang for the Indian Premier League 20-20. Do you intend doing it this year as well? Yes, I am sorting out the terms and dates. We have just started thinking about the album. Once it is done, I will be able to share more details with you. http://www.planetradiocity.com/musicreporter/interview.php?interviewid=259&pgno=3 -- regards, Vithur
