A journey that began with Sid Sriram singing ancient Tamil hymns at the tender age of nine has now taken the artist to grand stages worldwide, including the iconic Coachella festival. At this renowned event in California, Sid Sriram’s rendition of the Tiruppugazh ‘Sivanar manam kulira,’ which he had learnt from his mother, captured the audience’s attention, transcending cultural barriers. This Instagram clip of his performance went viral, bringing the sounds of Tamil devotion to a vast Western audience for the first time at Coachella.
The essence of Sid Sriram’s Coachella set was a celebration of his musical roots, beginning with the Ganesha invocation ‘Vakratunda mahakaya’ before unfolding into tracks from his recent English album, ‘Sidharth.’ The transformative power of music was evident as the audience responded with silence and awe, reflecting the universal language that transcends geographical and cultural divides.
Sriram’s Coachella repertoire included his well-received songs ‘Do the dance’ and ‘Dear sahana,’ along with ‘The hard way’ and his next single ‘One day god,’ an ambitious blend of ambient soul and his unique musical stylings.
Born in Chennai in 1990 and relocated to Fremont, California, when he was a year old, Sriram’s foray into music was through the Carnatic tradition under his mother’s tutelage at three. Exposure to Western music came at seven when he discovered the improvisational parallels between Carnatic vocal techniques and Western jazz, exemplified by saxophonist Wayne Shorter. This encounter led him to explore the fusion of these two distinct musical worlds.
Sriram’s break in film music arrived with the Tamil song ‘Adiye’ from the 2013 movie ‘Kadal,’ composed by the legendary A.R. Rahman. He was just 23 at the time and has since lent his voice to an array of successful film tracks. His colossal hit, the Telugu song ‘Srivalli’ from the movie ‘Pushpa: The Rise,’ topped charts, while his work on the soundtrack for Mani Ratnam’s ‘Vaanam Kottattum’ was widely acclaimed.
Following his debut album ‘Entropy,’ his sophomore release ‘Sidharth’ emerged last August. Unveiling the album at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre in Mumbai, Sriram found a surprisingly warm reception in a land more accustomed to his South Indian film tunes. The performance there, split between his English album in the larger auditorium and a pure Carnatic concert in a more intimate setting, showcased his versatility as an artist.
Sriram’s enduring presence has graced the December Season in Chennai for over two decades. He approaches each performance with devotion, gratefully seizing the opportunity to share his music without overthinking audience perceptions.
The next milestone for Sriram will be fulfilling a concert dream – performing at the prestigious Sydney Opera House in May, as part of an Australian tour that includes Melbourne. Further accomplishments await as one-off shows are being prepared for audiences in the United States later in the year.
In addition to his live performances, Sriram continues to innovate in the studio with new English songs and cross-cultural collaborations on the horizon. His artistic growth, evident in ‘Sidharth,’ sets the stage for even bolder explorations in future releases.
Sriram also contributes to a host of new film songs, including collaborations with icons such as A.R. Rahman for ‘Ae pulla’ in ‘Lal Salaam,’ G.V. Prakash for ‘Netru varai’ in ‘Siren,’ and more. Each project reflects his unfaltering commitment to expanding the breadth of his musical expression.
As Sid Sriram ascends from singing lessons in childhood to some of the world’s most acclaimed venues, his story is a testament to the power of cultural exchange and the timeless relevance of music. Fans around the globe wait with bated breath to witness what new harmonies and rhythms this artist will conjure next.
