As a youngster seeking to learn the technicalities of music mixing, Asha Jeevan K encountered an advice from someone associated with composer A R Rahman’s KM Music Conservatory—earning a degree is not a prerequisite to becoming a good musician.
Returning to Kerala, this guy shut himself in his home studio and four years later, he has completed his debut work on film background score as the keyboard programmer in a Telugu movie.
Jeevan’s journey sure was no smooth ride. He discovered his talent in music when he started performing with an acoustic college band.
He pursued his passion for music even after his graduation from the visual communication studies course and used his vocal potential coupled with familiar melodies.
“The easiest way to connect with any crowd is to present something familiar with your own embellishments. This is the best chance for upcoming independent musicians,” says Asha Jeevan.
Sure enough, his earlier YouTube releases like the cover of the A R Rahman song Enna Sona from the movie OK Jaanu fetched him over 196,000 views. His choice of the popular Bollywood hit number also brought him attention from Delhi-based internet sensation Super Dang.
Targeting the large audience of Bollywood music also brought him attention from event and reality show organisers including firms like Colors TV. Not a strong believer in the concept of competitive shows, this 26-year-old is currently on the lookout for musicians to collaborate with to create a stage presence.
Understanding the importance of music production, he has taught himself to work with the intricacies of Cubase programming software, which has also brought him opportunities to design sound for short videos of UNICEF India.
When it comes to composing music, Asha says that his earlier interest in orchestral music has expanded to be more inclusive. EDM is the new style that captivates his creative spirits as he has proven with his debut single called Seed.
“My idea is to incorporate our native sounds into the composition. It was an idea that struck me even before producers like KSHMR started blending Indian music into EDM,” says Jeevan.
Seed itself uses vocals visibly inspired by the folk vocalisations style of Kerala and the latest release Burn is loaded with elements of sitar and harmonium. He hopes to mix up strands from various musical cultures in every style of music he deals with in the future.